Promise to the Past
by ADHARYN
Summary: When the wizarding war takes a dark turn, Hermione is thrown back into the past- straight to Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow. Now she has the chance to change everything for the better, even if it means erasing the childhood she treasured and writing her friends out of her life. But when her presence alters the timeline, she has to prove to the Order the truth of her future.
1. A Wrinkle In Time

**DISCLAIMER** : I do not own Harry Potter, the credit for that brilliance goes to the one and only JK Rowling! This story is purely a work of fiction and is based off of Rowling's Potter Universe. That being said, the branching plot for this story has been developed by me so _copyright silverstorme, 2018._ **Do not plagiarize** this story to other sites without my permission please.

Also, my main writing account is on Wattpad (username: silverstorme), so I might update sooner there. Feel free to check that out depending on which platform you prefer ^_^

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 **CHAPTER ONE** : **A WRINKLE IN TIME**

 _ **~ Malfoy Manor, Second Wizarding War**_

"Stop!" yelled Bellatrix, pressing her blade to Hermione's neck. "Drop your wands! I said drop 'em!"

Harry and Ron both dropped their wands, both watching the drops of blood seep down Hermione's neck with panic. They could see her sleeve already bloodied from where Bellatrix had carved Mudblood into her flesh.

"Call him," Bellatrix said manically to Lucius.

Just as Lucius Malfoy raised his arm to his mark, all hell broke loose. Dobby dropped a chandelier on top of Bellatrix, sending Hermione flying towards Ron. Spells began flying left and right as everyone scrambled to regain control.

Just as Dobby appeared at Harry's side to apparate them out, a stray green curse hit him squarely on the chest as shock overtook his wide eyes and his ears drooped.

"Dobby! NOOO!" Harry cried with anguish.

 _Fuck.._ Hermione thought weakly through her daze. _We just lost our only way out of this snake pit._

Under the onslaught of curses, Ron quickly grabbed Harry's arm, pulling them around the corner to take cover. He quickly pushed wands into Harry and Hermione's hands, even though Hermione was still too weak to fully function.

"Snatched them off of Malfoy," he muttered.

"Ready?" Harry asked, sharing a look with Ron.

As Hermione tried to pull herself up, gritting her teeth against the after shocks of the Cruciatus, both boys gently helped her sit up. They connected hands with Hermione as Harry turned sharply on the spot, disbelieving shock coming over his face as he realized he couldn't apparate them out of the Manor.

"The wards," Hermione managed to get out hoarsely. "They won't let us disapparate on these grounds."

The flash of curses flew closer as a reductor spell hit wall across from them, shattering stone over the trio.

"Stay here," Ron instructed Hermione as he and Harry returned to the room to face their attackers, wands at the ready.

Hermione weakly watched bright flashes collide with Ron and Harry's shields, struggling to make her body move. Somehow summoning a pepper up potion from her bag, she uncorked it with shaky fingers before downing it. She could feel her limbs tingle as the magic rushed through her blood, bringing strength back to her exhausted body. She forced herself to stand, ready to defend her friends.

But as she stepped forward out of the safety of the corner, a blinding flash of white hit Ron squarely on the chest and he staggered back from the impact, looking down in shock as a bright crimson started staining his shirt.

"RON!" she cried hoarsely as she ran forward, catching him as he lost his balance but falling under his added weight.

"PROTEGO!" Harry yelled, encompassing them with a shield so strong, it caused Lucius, Narcissa, and Bellatrix to all fall backwards. Harry took his chance to help Hermione drag Ron back to the corner.

"None of my healing spells are working," she cried frustratedly. "Harry why aren't they working?"

"They used Sectumsempra..." Harry replied as the blood drained from his face. "Hermione, that only has one counter curse, and only Snape knows it."

"No, there has to be something. Dittany perhaps.." she panicked, searching wildly through her bag.

"Mione," Ron gasped, bringing his hand up to halt hers. "It's okay, there's nothing you can do.."

"Don't you _dare_ tell me what I can and can not do, Ronald Weasley. You will shut up and let me fix you so we can get out of here and live long lives, do you hear me?"

"Mione," he brought up a bloody hand to brush her cheek lightly. She could see the fondness in his eyes overpowering the pain. "I love you, you know that? Always did."

"I love you too, Ron," she confessed, her eyes watering. "And I've waited too bloody long to hear you say it so you need to hold on!" Hermione's eyes flew around wildly as the tried to think of something to do. "I can fix this, I'm always able to fix things," she muttered to herself in panic.

"Love you.." he mumbled repeatedly, gasping through the sharp pain in his chest.

Harry and Hermione could do nothing in the following few seconds but watch in horror as Ron's labored breaths shuddered to a stop.

"Ron.." Hermione whimpered painfully. She could feel Harry shaking from rage beside her.

Harry stood abruptly, ready to storm back to the main hall and avenge his best friend when all of a sudden pain hit him like a freight truck, bringing him to his knees.

"Harry! What is it?"

"Voldemort.. Hermione, he knows we're here. I can feel it."

"No.. no we're not ready to face him! We haven't found all the Horcruxes, this is too early!"

"We need to get out. Now." Harry pulled her back into the main hall as they both fought to hold off their three attackers. Hermione could feel her temporary strength from the potion diminishing as her shields grew weaker and weaker.

Bellatrix was gaining on her like a predator, hurling spells at her one after another until her shield just shattered, bringing Hermione to the floor.

"Hermione!" Harry acted instinctively, throwing up a protego to protect her from Bellatrix's next spell.

"DIFFINDO!"

It was like watching a car crash in slow motion. Hermione's heart froze as she saw Lucius' spell hit Harry on his sternum, who in his concern for Hermione had left himself entirely open. He was blasted backwards from the impact, hitting his head on the table behind them before dropping to the floor in a heap. As sheer panic overtook her, she shot a stupefy towards Bellatrix and Lucius, feeling her magic hurl out of her like a tsunami. They both dropped to the floor instantly, and Narcissa warily retreated to a terrified Draco in the corner of the room.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, throwing herself down next to him. "Come on we need to _go!_ "

Harry gasped, coughing up blood and trying to staunch the bleeding from his sliced flesh. "It's too late, Mione. Voldemort's here, I can feel it. I'll never make it."

"What do we do?"

" _You_ need to leave. I'll hold him off and buy you as much time as I can. It's me he wants anyway."

"Harry no, I can't-"

"Hermione, one of us have to make it out," he said firmly. "We were the only ones who knew about Horcruxes. You need to get out and finish our mission, or the entire Wizarding world will be lost."

"But _Harry,_ this was _your_ mission. I can't do this without you."

"You can, Hermione. I've always been the one who's needed you, not the other way around. You can do this. You can change everything."

"But-"

"I won't make it... I can already feel it," Harry said, his voice growing weaker. "Finish this, Hermione. For _me..."_

Hermione sobbed violently over Harry, feeling him fade away from her even as she clutched onto his body. Like before, she could feel her own tempest of magic swell violently within her as she felt the helplessness overtake her.

 _I need to fix this. How do I fix this. I need to finish this._

"My lord," she belatedly heard Narcissa murmur behind them. _Fuck, it's too late, I can't even finish the mission._

Before she could turn and face her fate at the hands of Lord Voldemort, Hermione felt a swell of magic meld around her own, foreign yet not entirely unfamiliar. _Harry,_ she thought sadly.

 _'You can do this,'_ she could hear him say to her.

 _I can do this, I need to do this, I need to finish this... for everyone._ Hermione chanted in her head, ready to fight to the death. But as she felt her own magical core continue to swell uncomfortably under Harry's magic, she suddenly felt the world fall away as her body was swept into a spinning, storm-like sensation, much like traveling by Portkey.

Before she could even process that she was no longer in Malfoy Manor but what seemed to be some sort of limbo, her body gave way to gravity, hurling down until she hit a hard floor. Finding the strength to open her eyes, she looked into the shocked and eyes of a room of familiar strangers. She looked between them in panic before settling on the one closest to her as her eyes widened in recognition.

"HARRY?" she sobbed in relief, pulling herself up, ready to throw herself into her best friend's arms.

But she stopped short. Because this Harry was much taller than hers, and his hair was not entirely black, but a mirage of different shades of brown. He looked slightly older than her Harry. Looking into his confused eyes, she belatedly realized why. They were _not_ green. Harry had his mother's eyes, everyone knew that. Which only meant one thing. This was not Harry Potter.

She stopped herself short, her wand arm twitching at her side as she trembled in disbelief.

 _It's James Potter._

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 **Hi all,**

 **I hope you're enjoying the story :)**  
 **Please let me know what you guys think, I'd appreciate any kind of feedback.**

 **~Mischief Managed**


	2. Potter Cottage

**CHAPTER TWO** : **POTTER COTTAGE**

 _ **~ Potter Cottage, Godric's Hollow 1981**_

"I'm just saying, at least Potter Manor has blood wards in place! Besides we can always put the Fidelius charm on it too." Sirius argued as he nicked a piece of potatoes from where Lily was plating the food in the kitchen.

"Mate, we've already talked about this," James said placatingly as he set the table. "My parents trusted the wrong people, and Voldemort was able to infiltrate Potter Manor when it came down to it."

A loud crack shattered the peace as a windswept Remus apparated into their kitchen.

"Remus!" Lily yelled excitedly as he went to her, pulling her into a hug as she juggled pots and pans in her hands.

"Moony! I didn't think you'd make it tonight," James said with a happy twinkle in his eyes.

"I didn't either to be honest," he replied sheepishly, running his fingers through his sandy brown hair.

They all sat down to eat together, taking pleasure in something as simple as a shared meal, especially since the Potters had been in hiding in the midst of a war for months now.

"Where's Peter?" Sirius asked clumsily with a mouthful of food.

"Haha, great meal by the way, Lily. As always." Remus said, looking at Sirius amused.

"I knew there's a reason you were always my favorite," Lily teased. "And Peter said he needed to check on his mother, make sure her wards were still okay and stuff."

"Hey! What about your charming husband who spent literally _all_ of Hogwarts pining after you?" James cried incredulously with mock outrage. Lily merely smiled serenely at her husband, dropping a kiss on his cheek lovingly.

"I hope he's handling everything okay," Sirius said in concern. "He's been visiting his mother a lot lately."

"How's it coming with the packs, mate?" James inquired.

"Difficult," Remus replied, a dark exhaustion filling his eyes. "It's nearly impossible to convince them how bad Voldemort is when he's going around feeding them exactly what they want to hear. He's charismatic, and he just knows exactly the right thing to lure the masses to his side."

Sirius and James shared a concerned glance during Remus' rant. Sirius had been suspicious of Remus' dangerous work with the wolves for a while now, and had brought up the possibility of Remus being the mole in the Order to James before. James ardently refused his accusations before, thinking too much of Remus, but now he shared Sirius' gaze with rising concern.

Settling into easy conversation eventually, they began to relax into their normal banter and age old dynamics. Half way through dinner they were startled out of their peace by another loud crack, signaling someone else had apparated in, only to be followed by a loud thud in the living room. The seasoned Order members all immediately jumped to their feet, wands at the ready, before rushing to the living room.

They were met with the bone chilling sight of what appeared to be a half-starved girl coated in blood collapsed on the soft rug in front of the fireplace.

"Who is she?" Sirius immediately asked, wand trained on her unmoving form.

Lily and James shared a glance, shaking their heads. "We've never seen her before."

"Well neither have I," Sirius said with rising panic. "And if the Fidelius charm is still in place she shouldn't have been able to get in."

Before they could decide whether they needed to evacuate or what to do next, the girl groaned painfully, her eyes fluttering open. Her eyes raced between the three Marauders and Lily in panic before settling on James as recognition flared in her gaze.

"HARRY?" she cried, racing forward.

Sirius and Remus immediately stepped towards James defensively, their wands still trained on her. She stopped abruptly, still a few paces away, her own wand twitching in her trembling hand as her excitement gave way to pure uninhibited disbelief as she took in the sight of three people she believed to be dead, and a man whom she'd never seen this young before.

"Who are you?" Sirius demanded coldly.

"How'd you get in here?" Remus asked in a harder tone than Hermione had ever heard from her beloved Professor.

She looked back and forth between the three men, her mouth gaping like a fish. Hermione's mind raced with the implications of where she was. She was in the past, but _how_? More than that, both Harry's parents were still alive as well and Sirius wasn't in Azkaban yet. Eyes quickly flicking around her, she realized she was probably at their safe house in Godric's Hollow.

"What's the date?" she choked out in panic. _It can't be Halloween, please don't be Halloween._

James eyes narrowed on her before answering hesitantly. "October 23."

"1981?"

They all looked at her like she was a madwoman, but a part of her sagged with relief. She had time, she could save them all. Her eyes rounded on Sirius.

"Are you still the secret keeper for Potter Cottage?" she implored. If they'd already switched it to Peter, they were no longer safe here, even if Voldemort wasn't set to attack until the end of the month according to her timeline.

Sirius's eyes narrowed dangerously as he advanced on her. Hermione took quick steps back, bringing up her wand as Sirius gained on her threateningly.

"Who. Are. You?"

"I'm a friend, I promise. It's kind of a long story, but you can trust me."

"What kind of bloody fools do you-" Sirius began angrily, only to be cut off by Remus.

"You'll have to pardon us for not taking your word for it when you, a complete stranger, were able to get into a safe house looking like _that_."

Hermione glanced down, wincing at the blood seeping into her clothes. _Shit._ She needed to convince them she didn't mean them harm before they decided she was a threat.

"I'm a member of the Order of the Phoenix."

"We've never seen you at the meetings before," James said shortly.

"Dumbledore will know about me," she argued weakly. She was already born by now, she could prove her existence to him.

"How do we know you're not a death eater?" Remus challenged.

"Because I'm a Muggle-born! Look my name is Hermione Granger, and I swear to you, you can trust me."

They all stared unflinchingly, distrust clear in their eyes.

"Remus," she turned to him desperately, startling him with his name. "You're a werewolf. James, you're an animagus that turns into a stag. Sirius you can turn into a big black dog. Lily you're a muggle-born witch, you have a sister named Petunia." She looked at them desperately, trying to remember things not many people would know about.

Their eyes widened in shock before Sirius abruptly shot a hex at her, which she barely managed to block with a protego.

"Please, I can explain what's going on, you just need to get Dumbledore!" Hermione backed up warily, her wand raised defensively. The effects of the pepper up potion was rapidly fading, and Hermione could feel her body weaken. But she could still feel the familiar and comforting envelope of Harry's magic surrounding her own magical core, giving her strength enough to produce magic to defend herself.

She could see James, Remus, and Lily watch her contemplatively, but Sirius was beyond enraged. He kept firing spells at her, which she merely blocked until a stinging jinx collided with her shoulder.

"You guys need to listen to me, this place may not be safe for you anymore. Lily, James, you need to get Harry out!" Her mention of danger and Harry spurred Remus into action as he joined Sirius in his duel against her.

She defended herself valiantly, refusing to use any offensive spells against them. In the back of her mind she noted with appreciation how beautifully they dueled, flourishing their wand work like a dance. Hermione could feel her physical strength being depleted, her shields getting weaker and weaker as she desperately thought of something to make them believe her.

"I solemnly swear that am up to no good."

Remus froze at her words.

"Moony," she said looking into his eyes. "Prongs," she said to James, who went slack jawed. "Pad-"

Sirius blasted her with a strong stupefy, which tore through her rushed protego and slammed her back against the wall. She dropped to the floor like a stone, knocked out cold.

"Sirius.." James began hesitantly.

"Don't go all soft on me now! She could be trying to kills us! Harry is in the house, we couldn't risk it!"

"You're right, we can't risk it," Lily said. "But I don't actually think she's out to harm us." Lily stepped closer to Hermione's body, cringing at the sight of her bloodied form.

"Lily, stay back," Sirius warned.

"Sirius Black, I am perfectly capable of watching out for myself! Besides she's not much of a threat unconscious, now is she?"

Remus stepped forward and took Hermione's wand away, pocketing it. Lily knelt next to her, brushing the hair away from her face.

"That's not all her own blood," Remus stated, inhaling deeply. "But I do think she's hurt."

"Yeah, someone started slicing into her neck, I can see it," Lily said titling Hermione's head back. Noticing the way her shirt sleeve was matted to her forearm, Lily gingerly peeled back the sleeve only to take in a sharp breath at the sight.

"What is it?" James asked, rushing forward.

Lily turned and raced into his arms, hyperventilating. "Her a-arm.. I think she's been tortured, James."

Sirius and Remus stepped closer, freezing when they saw the jagged cuts on Hermione's forearm crudely carving out 'Mudblood.'

"Well I think we can safely say she's probably not a death eater," James said, clutching Lily tightly. His own wife was also a Muggle-born, and seeing such a slur carved into the young lady made his stomach turn.

"Where did she come from?" Sirius asked, shock lacing his voice.

"How did she know all that stuff about us? Some people may know about my being a werewolf, but they certainly don't know you and James are animagi." Remus added.

"She also knows about the Marauder's Map," intoned James. "She clearly said 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.'"

"I think we need to call Dumbledore," Remus concluded. "She seems to know him."

"Sirius, can you put her on the couch?" Lily asked, as she peered at Hermione with sad eyes. The more they thought about it, and the more they took her in, the more they seemed to realize that she probably was not their enemy.

Sirius glanced at Lily, and she saw something she'd never seen flicker through his eyes. He looked back at the girl with an unreadable expression before quietly pocketing his wand and gently lifting her from the floor and walking her to the couch.

James and Remus lifted their eyebrows at the shift in Sirius's temper. He could've easily levitated her to the couch but chose to do it himself. But before they could comment, he quickly retreated far away from her before conjuring a patronus.

"I'll call Dumbledore," Sirius said tensely.


	3. Where Loyalties Lie

**CHAPTER THREE** : **WHERE LOY** **ALTIES LIE**

 _ **~ Potter Cottage 1981**_

Hermione's eyes fluttered awake to the flickers of the fireplace. The warmth of the cottage was a comfort to her even if she felt like the walking dead. She struggled to sit up, and belatedly realized that James and Lily Potter were sitting across from her, watching her closely. Her heart clenched painfully as she remembered how easily Ron and Harry came to her aid when she struggled before, but now she was alone in a time where no one knew or trusted her.

"Miss Granger," a familiar voice drew her attention.

"Professor Dumbledore.."

"When I was told that the Potters were visited by a Hermione Granger, I could hardly believe it." His eyes twinkled knowingly. "Perhaps you should tell the others who you are."

Hermione inhaled deeply, wincing as she sat up fully. "My name is Hermione Granger, and I was born on September 19, 1979."

There was a pregnant pause as Lily and James watched her blankly, probably debating whether she needed to be sent to St. Mungos. She could see Remus and Sirius slip into the room quietly, both equally caught off guard by her confession.

"The reason I knew all those things about you," she said, looking meaningfully at everyone, "is because my best friend is Harry Potter."

"I have to ask," Dumbledore said, leaning forward. "Was it a time turner?"

"No.. We were in battle, and.. I don't know, our magic just collided and before I knew it, it felt like I was being swept away by a portkey."

"Are we actually supposed to believe this?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"She called me Harry right after she saw me," James said.

Hermione nodded. "Everyone in my time said he looked exactly like you. Except his eyes, he had-"

"Lily's eyes," James finished, looking at her with a small grin.

"Well I assume now we just need to find a way to send you back, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said.

"No." Hermione said too quickly, before realizing what she accidentally gave away. Everyone looked at her in apprehension as she fumbled to fix her mistake. "I mean, It's just-"

"What is the state of the Wizarding world in your time, Miss Granger?"

Hermione met his eyes, her own reflecting the pain and loss she'd suffered.

"Miss Granger, you know how dangerous it is to mess with time."

In that moment, Hermione knew she had a choice. She could somehow try to send herself back to before her, Harry, Ron got caught and finish the war in their favor. But as she looked at the curious eyes of Harry's parents, and the Godfather he'd lost too early, she knew she had a chance to change everything, to save everyone.

"Professor, I really don't think the current timeline is one you want to preserve."

"How do you mean?"

"There's just.. so much death and loss."

"Every war comes with loss, Miss Granger."

"Yes, but what if I can change that? What if I could save a lot of people? And give you a definite way to defeat Voldemort?" Everyone in the room tensed. Hermione took a deep breath before continuing, deciding to put all her cards on the table. "I have all the information you could ever need to finish this once and for all, and prevent countless unnecessary deaths. I can already tell you the future I just came from is bleak, and if you try to send me back to the moment I came from, Voldemort _will_ win."

"What happens, Hermione?" Lily asked softly, her brilliant green eyes covered with a sheen of tears. Hermione looked to Dumbledore, who gave her a subtle nod before she continued.

"Voldemort finds Potter Cottage on Halloween of 1981. Lily, you gave your life to protect your son, which for the time incapacitated Voldemort." Lily looked at her slack jawed, shock overtaking her features.

"That's bullshit," Sirius shouted furiously. "The only way he could ever get in here is if I told him! And I would _die_ before I betray the Potters."

"You didn't," Hermione said with tears in her eyes. "You were all so paranoid about the mole in the Order, you decided to switch secret keepers last minute, without telling anyone else. That's when you get betrayed."

"But your sacrifice, Lily, created a unique bond between Harry and Voldemort, solidifying the Prophecy that made Voldemort target him in the first place. Because of it, Harry was destined to be the only one who could truly end him."

"So what happens," James asked confused. "Does Sirius raise him?"

Hermione looked down, unsure how much to reveal. "Uh.. No. He was sent to Petunia."

"WHY?" Lily cried in horror. "I would never want her to raise my child."

"I'm not sure I understood entirely," Hermione said glancing at Dumbledore. "But I think he was safer from the death eaters with her because she was the most closely related to you and it was the best way to strengthen the protection you left him with."

"So what? Remus and I just let it happen? I don't buy that," Sirius said, shaking his head.

"Harry was hidden away until he joined Hogwarts. Until then, he didn't know about magic at all. But he did learn of you and and Remus afterwards," she assured. Hermione felt a twinge of guilt for leaving out so much of the truth, but if she could save them from their fates, what was the point to telling them about the painful futures they might've lived.

"So what happened? When did things take such a bad turn?" Remus asked inquisitively.

Hermione sighed in frustration, her mind trying to sort through all the relevant and necessary details. "Perhaps it would be easier if I showed you all, there's quite a lot. Professor, may we use your Pensieve?"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, surprised she knew about it. "Of course, Miss Granger, you're right it might be easier to understand if we just saw it all."

As they all rose to floo to Hogwarts, Hermione felt around her pockets for her wand. Her beaded bag with all her stuff from her previous time was still tucked safely near her hip, hidden by the swell of her coat.

"Where's my wand?"

Remus looked at her guiltily before withdrawing it from his pocket. But before he could hand it to her, Sirius stopped him.

"I still don't know if we can trust her. She could be fabricating this for all we know! A random stranger showing up with all the answers to save everyone and defeat Voldemort? Seems too perfect, don't you think?"

Hermione could feel frustration rise up, coupled with the exhaustion from the past few weeks. "What the bloody hell do you want from me? To send me on my way? I can promise you, you'll regret it if you do."

"We have no way of confirming if you're telling the truth," Sirius said with narrowed eyes.

"Well I can take Veritaserum if that'd help, but I don't know how else to convince you I'm being honest!"

"Actually, I think that'd be enough," James finally spoke up. "If you take Veritaserum to confirm all the memories you show us are true, it'll be enough for me. I'm not willing to risk the future you're talking about, and I don't want my son growing up without his parents."

"Remus, if you'd please return Miss Granger's wand," Dumbledore prompted.

 ** _~o~o~o~_**

They all flood straight to Dumbledore's office in Hogwarts, everyone tense with anticipation. He led Hermione to his Pensieve, instructing her on how to extract her memories. Hermione thought long and hard, withdrawing the specific memories that highlighted their entire journey, trying to work around sensitive information that she didn't think they needed to know, like Sirius's imprisonment or his death, or even Horcruxes. That was a conversation for later, once they trusted her.

They all stepped around the Pensieve once she'd compiled her memories, before they were swept into her future.

 _ **First year...**_

 _"Gryffindor!"_

 _The visitors watched as a young Harry Potter ran over to the Gryffindor table, joining Hermione. They saw wisps of Quidditch and conversations before settling into a conversation about Voldemort in the Gryffindor common room, right after their detention in the Forbidden Forest._

 _"He was in the woods, I'm sure of it," Harry stated confidently._

 _"Bloody hell, You-Know-Who is really back?" Ron asked. "You don't think he'll try to come after you, do you?"_

 _"I think if he had the chance, he would've tonight."_

 _"You're forgetting something," Hermione interrupted. "Who's the one wizard he's always feared? Dumbledore! As long as Dumbledore's around you're safe, Harry. As long as Dumbledore's around, you can't be touched."_

 _The memories whisked them away to Fluffy, the Devil's Snare, the chess game, and right up to Snape's potions riddle. They saw young Ron and Hermione waiting in the hospital wing with an unconscious Harry as Dumbledore explained to them how he faced Voldemort and defeated him for now._

 _ **Fourth Year...**_

 _"Harry Potter," Dumbledore said in shock, withdrawing his name from the Goblet of Fire. "HARRY POTTER!"_

 _They watched tensely as Harry battled a dragon, Hermione's late nights with him in the library, the Black Lake, the Maze, and Cedric Diggory's death. They watched Harry explain Voldemort's return in the graveyard to her and Ron, all of them frozen with shock and quiet tears running down Lily's face._

 _ **Fifth Year...**_

 _Hermione included a lot from this year. She showed them the moments Harry and Sirius bonded in Grimauld Place. She showed them the meetings of the Order of Phoenix, and all the planning the adults were doing._

 _They saw the reign of Dolores Umbridge and the DADA that Harry led. She showed the Potters how brave their son was in leading his classmates. That's when her memories took a darker turn._

 _They were able to see their excursion to the Department of Mysteries and the struggle for the prophecy, and she was thankful in that moment that she was hit by Dolohov's curse before Sirius died because her memories cut off before they could witness it._

 _ **Sixth Year...**_

 _Hermione barely included any details from that year; just enough so they gathered Harry was getting private lessons from Dumbledore on how to defeat Voldemort._

 _By the end of that year, they knew death eaters invaded the castle and Dumbledore was killed._

They were suddenly ejected from the Pensieve, and Hermione looked around the group whose faces were all ashened and horrified.

"That's my memories up to our sixth year. I wanted to give you a moment because the next year is when things really took a dark turn. I'm not going to censor anything, because you need to see how bad it got."

James, Lily, and Remus nodded grimly while Sirius stared at the Pensieve blankly. Dumbledore motioned for her to continue, at which point Hermione extracted the last set of her memories.

 _ **Seventh Year...**_

 _The scene started with Harry's transport out of Little Whinging, and their ambush, touching on their casualties and injuries._

 _They were whisked away to the Burrow where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were talking in hushed tones about leaving after the wedding to finish the mission Dumbledore left them. Hermione specifically left out the mention of Horcruxes, but made sure the memories portrayed the importance of their work._

 _Once again, they were taken to Bill and Fleur's wedding. The visitors had briefly relaxed at seeing everyone so happy before the momentary peace was shattered by the attack of death eaters._

 _The scene panned to their visit to the Ministry and their months of camping. Hermione's selected memories kept skirting around the mention of Horcruxes, which she realized privately was extremely impressive._

 _Finally they were taken to their visit with Xenophillius Lovegood. Things went downhill fast. They saw the young trio escaping the attack at the Lovegood house. They saw their capture as they were dragged to Malfoy Manor._

 _They witnessed the boys being dragged to the cellar of Malfoy Manor. Hermione looked away once Bellatrix started in on her interrogation of Hermione. She noticed that Dumbledore had a rare expression of defeat on his face, as if he couldn't believe things had gotten to such a point. Lily and James Potter were clutching at each other like life lines, clearly shaken by their son's difficult life. Remus was pale and watching slack jawed at Bellatrix's cruelty. Sirius on the other hand, was trembling subtly, his fists clenched unforgivingly as he watched the scene unfold before him. Hermione realized belatedly that Bellatrix was his cousin, and watching this was probably hard for him._

 _Eventually the scene progressed to the boys' escape. Hermione couldn't hold back her tears as she watched Ron and Harry be struck down once again. After all it'd only been a few hours for her since all this happened. As future Hermione was whisked away into the vortex and dropped violently into Potter Cottage, everyone was ejected from the Pensieve._

Everyone was grimly silent after leaving her memories, their eyes trained on the Pensieve as if it were a poisonous snake.

"I can take the Veritiserum now if you'd like," Hermione said.

Dumbledore wordlessly summoned a small vial, adding a drop to a goblet of water. "This dosage should only last about five minutes."

Hermione quickly gulped down the water, feeling her stomach turn. She'd been half starved for weeks and hadn't anticipated how utterly screwed her body was after the last 24 hours of trauma. She swayed unsteadily for a moment before Remus grabbed her arm reassuringly. She shot him a thankful smile.

"What is your name?" Dumbledore asked.

"Hermione Jean Granger."

"Miss Granger, are all the memories you've shown us true?"

"Yes."

"So you really are from the future?" Remus asked in a slightly awed tone.

"Yes."

"What is the full extent of your relationship with our son," Lily asked inquisitively.

"Harry was like my brother," Hermione said soulfully. "He was raised like a Muggle-born, so he understood me in a way many others didn't."

"Where do your loyalties lie?" Dumbledore asked.

"With Harry." Hermione immediately responded.

"Not with the Order?" Dumbledore asked curiously.

"Well.. Harry, Ron, and I were never officially part of the Order. By the time Voldemort was back in corporeal form, we were too young to join. Order matters were mainly led by you, Moody, Remus, Sirius, and Professor McGonagall. And by the time we became of age, we had our own separate mission to fulfill that didn't involve the other Order members."

"What did I tell you to do? And why would I trust children rather than seasoned Order members?"

"Well.." Hermione struggled to find a way to honestly answer the question without giving too much away. "Secrecy was of the utmost importance. Harry needed to know because he was the one who would ultimately have to face Voldemort. And Harry always leaned on me and Ron. Voldemort's defeat was a lot more complex then we'd initially anticipated. So you left us with specific instructions on how to take him down once and for all."

Before Dumbledore could ask for more details, Hermione interrupted him. "I swear I will explain to all of you the mission we were on, but that's a conversation that needs to happen with more people. It's.. complicated. There's a few others who should be called before we can get into that."

Dumbledore nodded, reassured by her oath under the influence of Veritiserum.

"What are you trying to do then?" Sirius finally spoke up.

Hermione looked at him blankly for a second. "Change everything I guess. I don't want Harry growing up without his parents or Godfather. He could live such a happy life without the responsibility of saving the Wizarding world put on his shoulders."

"You do realize Miss Granger," Dumbledore began in a concerned voice. "If you change everything now, the future you won't have the same experiences with young Mr. Potter."

She looked at Dumbledore sadly. "I know," she murmured. "But saving all the lives lost in the next year is far more important than preserving my childhood."

She felt soft hands turn her around as she was pulled into the arms of Lily Potter. "Thank you, Hermione. Thank you for giving Harry the future he deserves."

Hermione smiled painfully. "Hopefully it's the future everyone deserves." Her eyes flickered to Sirius, her memories haunted by the very different man she knew who was hardened by years in Azkaban. He stared back intensely, still feeling unsettled by Hermione's story.


	4. Trusted Ones

**CH** **APTER FOUR** : **TRUSTED ONES**

"Well Miss Granger, I think it's time for you to fill us in on this mission you mentioned."

"Yes," Hermione nodded. "I think it's best if we called in a few more people before I start explaining it all."

"I'll call an order meeting-"

"No!"

They all stared at her, startled by her vehemence.

"You all are right to be paranoid, there _is_ a mole in the Order. I know who can and can't be trusted the most, so if you don't mind, I'd like to select the people who are aware of my true identity and this mission."

Dumbledore nodded acceptingly. "Well who are the people you'd like us to call."

"Other than the people in this room? I'd say Professor McGonagall, Kingsley, Mad-Eye, and Molly and Arthur Weasley."

"Anyone else," Dumbledore inquired, already sending off patronuses to her listed people.

"If the Weasleys are coming, do you want the Prewett twins there? They're more involved with the war effort than the Weasleys," Remus mentioned.

"They're still alive?" Hermione asked in shock.

The others stared at her trying to decide if she was serious while Dumbledore looked at her grimly.

"Yes, I suppose they should be called," she concluded. "Are the Longbottoms still okay?"

"What happens to Alice and Frank?" Lily asked tensely.

Hermione exhaled unsteadily, shaken by how much she could still change. "Hopefully, nothing," she said. "But we'll want them there as well."

"We should call Peter," Sirius added.

"NO!"

The Marauders all looked at her confused while Lily assessed her in concern.

"Pettigrew... Pettigrew is the mole. He's the one who betrays you in the future."

"No way," James immediately defends. "Pete is one of our closest friends, there's no way he would do that."

"Yeah, you must be mistaken. Peter doesn't have it in him to be a death eater," Sirius said confidently.

"He is, and he does," Hermione insisted. "You guys switch secret keepers to Pettigrew last minute, and he gives your location straight to Voldemort."

"Wait.." Remus chimed in. "You guys switch to Peter? _Why?_ "

The others look at him uncomfortably. "Mate, you're doing dangerous work with the wolves," Sirius started saying. "It would be easier for Voldemort to get to you than Peter." Sirius's confession makes it clear they'd already discussed the possibility of switching secret keepers.

"So what if he could get to me?" He cried incredulously. "I would die before I betrayed Lily and James, same as you!"

"Mate.." James began guiltily.

"You all thought I was the mole didn't you?" Remus asked, already knowing the answer.

"No!" James denied vehemently. "We just thought you were too close to the darker influences of the war is all... even if we did choose to change secret keepers, it would be less of a risk by not changing it to you."

Remus looked at them, practically heart broken. "Why do you think I volunteered to work with the _packs,_ " he spit out as if disgusted by the very thought. "For _you._ Do you think I actually _enjoy_ being surrounded by people who make me forget my very humanity? I spend _years_ trying to teach myself the opposite."

"Guys," Hermione interrupted. "Please don't argue. From what I understood of the past, things were really tense around this time. Everyone was on guard and suspicious. Besides, _no one_ suspected Peter. We didn't even know it was him who betrayed the Potters until years afterwards."

"So what?" James asked her with wide eyes. "They thought it was Sirius?"

Hermione winced at her slip up. "It's complicated. And unimportant because none of it is going to happen. Sirius is still the secret keeper, so what happens from this point onwards is under our control."

Before they could interrogate her for more answers, Dumbledore came to Hermione's rescue.

"All right Miss Granger, everyone of your choosing has been instructed to gather at headquarters. We should get going."

"I don't know where the current headquarters is.." Hermione thought aloud. "In my time, Sirius let us use Grimmauld Place but I doubt that's the case right now." Sirius raised an eyebrow in surprise at that information, not feeling any connection to Grimmauld Place but of deep hurt.

"I'll floo with you, Hermione." Remus volunteered readily. She could tell he still felt hurt by his friends' lack of trust in him.

"Lily, where's Harry?" Dumbledore inquired all of a sudden.

"I asked Alice to come watch him as we were coming to Hogwarts, she'll know to bring him to headquarters."

With that, they all started flooing to the headquarters of The Order of the Phoenix, Remus and Hermione being the last. She stopped him with a gentle arm as he moved to the fireplace.

"Remus, I know you feel betrayed right now," she said uncertain of how to portray to him the larger scheme of trust and friendship he and his friends had overcome without too many painful details. "But Sirius and James still think the world of you, you have to know that. They would give their lives for you without question, as you would for them."

He nodded slowly, his own exhaustion seeping into his expression before gently guiding her to the fire. "Let's go, Hermione."

They stepped through the flames, but the sensation of floo travel made Hermione unsteady once more. She fumbled as she stepped out of the fireplace, unable to find the energy to keep herself upright. Remus caught her with unnaturally quick reflexes, reminding Hermione that his Lycanthropy came with some benefits.

"Are you alright," he asked softly in her ear, his breath brushing through her hair.

She nodded her head unsurely, mostly trying to stop the dizziness.

"Oh no.. Hermione," Lily said sympathetically, rushing forward to her other side. "Dumbledore, are you sure we should do this right now? She's had a long few days, maybe it's best to save this for another day."

The others all froze, as if just remembering the torture and bloodshed they'd witnessed from her memories happened a mere few hours ago for the young witch.

"I'm so sorry Miss Granger, how completely insensitive of me. We can reschedule this until you feel rested."

"No, it's alright. I'd honestly prefer to do this now. I was scared I'd die being the only one to know the truth of how to stop him, and I'd rather not keep it that way any longer than necessary. I just need a pepper up potion."

James came forward, silently offering her a small vial, which she drank without hesitation. Feeling the potion strengthening her body once more, she pulled herself up, thanking Remus for his support.

"Everyone's gathered in the kitchen," Dumbledore said, leading the way.

Stepping into the filled room, Hermione's eyes glazed over the young people she knew as adults. Arthur and Molly looked vibrant and decades younger instead of merely ten years; as did Sirius and Remus. The war must have taken quite a toll on them.

She saw a pair of twins who looked quite similar to Fred and George, but with dark hair, watching her with inquisitive gazes. _Ah.. the Prewett Twins._ Her gaze shifted to the people she could only assume to be the Longbottoms with two kids in their arms.

"Harry.. Neville," she choked, stepping towards them her hand raised towards them. The Longbottoms shifted defensively as they eyed her warily, moving the children subtly away from her. Hermione paused, and even though her heart clenched from the reality of her situation, she realized it was best she didn't handle the children while she was soaked in blood.

"Everyone, we've gathered here for a quite serious development in our fight. This afternoon, we were graced with a surprising visit from..." Hermione tuned out as Dumbledore started to explain everything she'd been convincing them up to that point. Her arm felt as though it were on fire and she realized belatedly that her body was a lot weaker than she initially thought. With a morbid thought, she wondered if it would be that bad if she died. As long as they knew how to defeat Voldemort, it wasn't like she had any place in this time. Her people had already died. But before she could go further down that line of destructive thought, she could feel her Harry's magic swish comfortingly around her own core. She tuned back in with determination. She'd promised him she'd finish this for him, and she'd give it her all until she knew his future was secure and peaceful.

"How the bloody hell can you confirm this?" Mad-Eye asked in a gruff and suspicious tone.

"We've confirmed everything," Dumbledore assured. "Her memories were not manipulated, and she took Veritiserum to prove it."

Mad-Eye turned his eyes on her contemplatively, unsure of how to take the news because of its severe implications. Hermione smiled softly at him. "Constant vigilance, Mad-Eye. It's okay, I understand your doubts." His eyebrows raised comically as she quoted his constant reminder to them, and the others assessed her in appreciation.

"So what is this mission you were sent on?" Dumbledore asked once again.

"Well, you started teaching Harry about Voldemort's history during your lessons in our sixth year. You'd told him that Voldemort was so obsessed with immortality and power that he made Horcruxes."

Dumbledore and Mad-Eye did a double take while Sirius inhaled sharply. The others merely looked at her in confusion.

"That's a bit of dark magic there, missy," Mad-Eye said.

"What're Horcruxes?" One of the Prewett twins spoke up.

"They're a way to store half of your soul in an inanimate object, but the process of making one is quite dark. Ultimately one must murder to create one." Dumbledore summarized.

"Yes, but we learned from Voldemort that the host does not need to be inanimate, and you can create more than one." Hermione continued.

"How many." Dumbledore asked tensely.

"Seven."

"Seven?!" Sirius asked incredulously. "That psychopath split is soul into seven pieces?"

"I think he's only made six by this point in time, actually."

"And you know what they are?" Kingsley asked.

"I know what most of them are, and where to find them. I can make some lists, but it'll take time to gather them. Also, we can't destroy them until we have most if not all of them because Voldemort can feel them being destroyed. It'll tip him off and he might move them before we have a chance to get to them."

"Dumbledore mentioned a mole who's meant to betray the Potters?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes, Pettigrew."

"Peter?" Alice and Frank shouted. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm positive," Hermione repeated grimly.

"So how do we take care of it?" Mad-Eye asked.

"Arrest him obviously," the Prewett brothers chimed in.

"No!" Hermione spoke up. "I know how the timeline plays out if Peter is given the position of secret keeper. We can use that to our advantage; we'll know for sure where Voldemort will be on Halloween and that he'll be alone. We can use it to ambush him."

Moody eyed her with a new found respect. "Good thinking."

"I still can't believe Peter is the mole," mumbled Alice.

"Well perhaps this is for the best. If things play out how I know them to, you all will have proof that Pettigrew betrays the Potters." Hermione saw the Potters and Marauders wince at the mention of his betrayal with guilt. It was a lot of her to dump on them.

Hermione gripped the edge of the counter she was leaning against as she felt the pepper up potion fade. The others were already chattering about new security measures and such when Lily spoke up clearly, eyeing Hermione perceptively.

"I think this can be continued at another time. Hermione needs to recover, and once she has, she can draft the lists we need to finish this." Hermione glanced appreciatively at Lily Potter as the dizziness began to overtake her once more.

The others glanced at Hermione, taking in her battered form in a new light, sympathy and respect filling their gazes.

"In the meantime, you all need to continue normally. Peter can't know you suspect him. As much as you might want to make him answer for his betrayal," Hermione said strongly, looking Sirius dead in the eye, "you can't."

"Last thing," Dumbledore brought up. "We need to protect your true identity. I'm sure other people will see you and your interactions with the Order and we can't have them drawing conclusions as to where you came from. Especially the death eaters."

Hermione nodded, clenching her teeth as she fought to keep herself upright. _Just a few more minutes._

"She can be a Prewett!" One of the twins said saucily.

"Or a Weasley," Arthur offered, finally speaking up. "There's plenty of us."

"Actually I think it'd be safer if she was a Dumbledore." Dumbledore said aloud. "I can pass her off as a great niece, and it'll explain how closely we'll be working in the coming future."

"I didn't even know you had siblings, Albus" Minerva spoke up in confusion.

"On Aberforth's side?" Hermione asked, looking at Dumbledore knowingly.

"Yes," he admitted as he realized Hermione knew more about him than she led on.

"What about her appearances?" Mad Eye brought up gruffly. "Surely when the infant Granger grows up people will notice the likeness between them."

"I don't intend to ever hinder my current self's future," Hermione said. Everyone stared at her silently, not sure how she meant that. She knew in her heart that her only remaining job was to ensure the safety and peace of the future, but she didn't want to concern the others with that. "I mean.. we have a lot of time until then to sort everything out. We need to focus on the mission for now."

They all nodded in reluctant acceptance.

"All right Hermione Dumbledore, I do believe it is time for you to get some much needed rest," Dumbledore said.

"Brilliant," Hermione mumbled as black spots began appearing in her vision.

Before she could say anything else, she felt her body slip out of her control as the world fell away to darkness. She was weaker than she'd anticipated.

* * *

 **What do you guys think so far? Like the pacing? Hate it? Let me know ^-^**

 **~ Mischief Managed**


	5. Reality Sets In

**CHAPTER FIVE** : **REALITY SETS IN**

"Hermione!" Lily yelled as the exhausted girl dropped like the dead.

Before anyone could make a move, Sirius was there, lifting her into his arms. Lily looked at him questioningly, surprised by his polar reactions to Hermione.

"Oh dear..." Dumbledore moved closer, waving his wand over her. "She's incredibly weak right now, she needs to be healed immediately."

"I'll take care of it Professor," Lily assured. "I insist she stay with us at Godric's Hollow."

Dumbledore nodded in acceptance, hurrying them on their way. James took Harry with him as Lily guided Sirius who was still holding an unconscious Hermione towards the floo. She felt an uncanny connection to the young time traveler. Maybe it was simply because she knew Hermione would risk everything to ensure the safety of her son. Maybe it was because she was also Muggle-born and understood how much she was giving up for a world she'd only known less than half her life. But she knew one thing, she felt incredibly protective of her. And from glancing at the way Sirius held her tightly with his eyes honed in on her unconscious face, Lily could tell she might not be the only one.

 ** _~o~o~o~_**

Hermione opened her eyes for a second time to an unfamiliar room. She still felt incredibly weak, but her arm had stopped burning. She also felt relatively cleaner, but could already feel the hoarseness in her throat, probably from having screamed her lungs out under the Cruciatus.

Her eyes wandered to find that she was in a large bed, and she was incredibly warm. Not only that, but sitting loyally at her feet was a large black dog watching her with sharp grey eyes. She slowly pulled herself into a sitting position, keeping her eyes on Sirius.

"Are you taking turns watching me?" She asked honestly. She thought she'd gained their trust, but she couldn't be sure. She could see her wand resting on the bedside table, so they must have believed her.

The dog merely cocked his head at her intelligently.

"You're honestly the last person I'd expect to be sitting with me," she said honestly. "I thought you hated me, Padfoot."

The dog visibly flinched back, and Hermione smiled sadly at his reaction.

"I know your animagus forms, Sirius. I already told you that."

Instead of shifting to his human form, Padfoot merely crawled up the bed on his paws until he was sitting parallel Hermione, his body pressed against her legs offering her warmth while he rested his head on her lap.

Hesitantly, Hermione began to run her fingers through his fur, taking comfort in the simplicity of just existing and enjoying another's company, even if it was in dog form. If anything the dog was more therapeutic than the human might've been.

"Oh you're awake!" Lily said through the crack in the door. She made her way inside, raising her eyebrows inquisitively at Padfoot but not saying anything on the matter. She took a seat on the chair next to the bed, assessing Hermione.

"Where am I?"

"Back in Potter Cottage. You're in our guest room."

"Oh.." Hermione said, looking around once again.

"You really scared us Hermione," Lily said shakily. "I honestly don't know how you lived through what you did."

"Everyone suffers in war-"

"No, I mean you were literally on the brink of death." Lily looked terrified as the tried to make Hermione understand. "No normal person should've survived. Your vitals were dangerously weak for far too long. I think the only reason you survived is because your magical core was so strong."

"My core..." Hermione trailed of weakly.

"Yes, thankfully you hung in there. The healing potions took care of most of your injuries. I'm afraid your arm will scar, but we tried to patch it up as best we could."

Padfoot whined lowly from his perch on Hermione's lap and she ran her fingers through his fur reassuringly. "I figured it might..."

Lily watched Hermione quietly, a dozen questions on the tip of her tongue. But she didn't want to overwhelm the poor girl while she was still recovering.

"You know.. I think your son can be thanked for making sure I survived."

"What do you mean?"

"Well when my Harry..." Hermione swallowed painfully, unable to speak it out loud. "In the end there when Voldemort arrived at Malfoy Manor, I could feel Harry's magic merge around mine. I can still feel it, it's like a warm blanket around my own magical core. I think it's been giving me the strength to continue."

Lily's eyes watered as she comprehended what Hermione was trying to say. "I've never heard of magic acting like that."

"Me either."

"Well I for one am glad it did. We're lucky to have you. Every time James and I think about the reality of things and that we might have been dead in less than 2 weeks.." She broke off, visibly shuddering.

"Well hopefully we can save everyone a lot of unnecessary suffering."

"What happens Hermione?" Lily asked, staring at her meaningfully. "There are a lot of gaps in your story."

Hermione grimaced. "I know.. but it's all a lot of painful details that won't be coming true now so I'd rather not scare you with them."

"It shouldn't be up to you to bear the burden of those memories alone, though."

"It'll never happen," Hermione insisted.

"But it already did for you. And you have to live with that," implored Lily knowingly.

"I do," Hermione said sadly. "But I'll manage."

"Are you sure-"

"Oh shit!" Hermione jumped. Padfoot immediately sat up alertly, alarmed by Hermione's outburst. "I don't know much about the Prewett twins' downfall. Can you tell them to keep the twins off any missions for the time being? I only know they died before you and James, so it's meant to happen soon."

"Padfoot, do us a favor and run the message to the Order," Lily asked the canine. He looked at Lily funnily, as if to say ' _What am I, your dog?'_ and reluctantly shuffled to his feet, jumping gracefully off the bed and leaving the room.

"I thought he hated me," Hermione asked, eyes still on the door.

"He doesn't hate you," Lily assured. "Like you said, we've all been paranoid these last few months. And he's very protective of the people he loves."

"Hrmm.."

"I think he's more baffled by you than anything, honestly. He treated you immediately as a threat only to find out you're trying to save us all? I would bet a confrontation with Voldemort himself that he's trying to find a way to apologize."

Hermione chuckled weakly. "I don't entirely blame him. Caution is always the safe track."

"Would you like to see Harry?" Lily asked curiously. Hermione's eyes immediately lit up.

"Could I please?"

When Lily returned with baby Harry in her arms, handing her over to Hermione, she merely hugged him to her chest.

"Oh Harry," she said sadly. All the events of the last two days came rushing back to her. Harry, her best friend of 7 years was in her arms and safe, but he had no idea who she was. A selfish part of her regretted being in this world where no one really knew her. That part of her that mourned for the loss of her entire world broke free as Hermione sobbed quietly against a confused Harry.

Baby Harry drew back and cupped Hermione's cheeks with his little hands. He mumbled his gibberish, but looked at Hermione's tear streaked face in a charming concern.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered brokenly. "I couldn't save you before, but I swear on my life you will get the future you deserve. No matter what it takes."

Lily Potter watched Hermione with her son with her heart breaking for the displaced woman. She knew she couldn't say anything to comfort her right now, the girl had literally lost her entire world, even if she could change the future for the better. She was changing things so that the experiences that made her who she was would never happen. Lily's heart went out to the incredible sacrifice she was making, vowing to herself to do anything she could for Hermione. There was no doubt in her mind as she watched Hermione with Harry that she could be trusted, and deserved their loyalty.

Hermione slowly rocked Harry in her arms, repeatedly murmuring, "I won't fail you."

' _And we won't fail you,'_ Lily thought with determination.


	6. Assimilating

**CH** **APTER SIX:** **ASSIMIL** **ATING**

"Hermione! Come join us!" Lily called out to her.

Lily, James, and Sirius were gathered at the dining table with Harry juggled in James' lap.

"How are you feeling?" James asked politely.

"Better, definitely much better."

Sirius kept his eyes casually averted, almost leaving Hermione to wonder whether she'd imagined Padfoot in her room earlier.

"Dumbledore is coming by later today, so you can get started figuring out the location of the Horcruxes," Lily said, plating herself some eggs.

Hermione nodded as she snacked on some grapes. Sirius lit a cigarette, taking a quick puff. Lily's face scrunched up in disgust as she opened her mouth to reprimand him. But before she could, Hermione reached over, snatching the cigarette out of his mouth.

"That's a disgusting habit, and one you definitely should not be doing in a house with a baby."

James let out a bark of laughter while Lily grinned at Hermione. "I knew there was a reason I liked you."

"She reminds me of you, Lil," James said fondly.

Sirius looked at her with an unreadable expression before taking the cigarette out of her hand and putting it out, vanishing it with his wand.

"Well can you blame me?" Hermione said to the Potters. "Growing up with Harry, someone had to think through their decisions."

Sirius and James' eyes twinkled. "Did he live up to our legacy?" James asked with glee.

"Not quite," Hermione smiled, thinking back to her childhood memories. "The honor of pranksters actually fell to the Weasley twins. Harry just had a tendency to stumble into trouble wherever he went."

"How?" Sirius asked disbelievingly. "Did Remus and I teach the boy nothing? Well to be fair Remus would've probably had a more calming effect on the boy," Sirius smirked at James. "He always did manage to keep us in check."

"Oh, I guess Remus's lessons really stuck," Hermione said lightly. "He was actually the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor our third year, best Professor we ever had."

"Aw did someone have a little crush on Professor Lupin?" James asked teasingly.

Hermione immediately blushed before quickly denying it. "No, of course not."

"Oh, I believe she's blushing Pads," James laughed. "I can't wait to tell Moony about this."

Sirius merely assessed her with narrowed eyes, not nearly as gleeful as James.

"Oh hush, you will not." Lily reprimanded, knocking him lightly in the head. "Anyone could be infatuated with Remus, he's quite the gentleman. In fact, I remember being quite taken with him myself."

James' jaw dropped open in shock as he turned to look at Lily in indignation, while Sirius finally let out a bark of laughter.

"You did not have a thing for my best friend! Take that back," he demanded petulantly.

Lily merely rolled her eyes. "I never wanted to be _with_ Remus per say, but any girl that age would be swept away by Remus's gentle ways. I merely admired his qualities," she said smugly.

Hermione shot Lily a grateful look, smiling at their antics. Maybe being stuck in this time wouldn't be so bad. Even though no one from her generation truly knew the Potters or Sirius and Remus when they were carefree people, the resemblance between their dynamic and the time she'd spent with Harry and the Weasleys was uncanny.

As they eased into a natural conversation, a bright phoenix patronus shot into the room, filling the room with Dumbledore's deep voice.

 _"Miss Granger, I figured Alastor would be helpful in planning our upcoming mission so would you please join us at headquarters within half an hour? You can floo directly from the Potters'."_

"Oh.. that's actually quite a good idea including Mad Eye.."

"Mad Eye?" Sirius asked, his face scrunched in confusion.

"Oh that's Moody. I guess he wasn't known as Mad Eye until after the first war," Hermione thought curiously.

"Anything else we should know about the future?" James asked curiously. Lily shot her a knowing look, as she was already aware that Hermione was holding a lot back on the darkness the future had in store for her friends.

"Nothing too important, I don't think," Hermione said evasively. "Anyway, I should head to headquarters."

"Here, I'll escort you," Sirius offered, standing immediately.

"That's quite alright, it's only a floo away."

"I insist," he said, holding his hand out to her. Hermione hesitated for a second before wordlessly taking his hand and allowing him to tug her out of her chair.

"By the way, Hermione, once you and Dumbledore figure out how best to address the Peter situation, can you fill us in?" James' expression was hesitant and slightly pained. She felt Sirius tense through her hold on his arm. She nodded sympathetically at him, knowing it mustn't be easy for them to accept being told one of their closest friends is out to betray them to their deaths.

Sirius led her to the floo, going through with her. Once they reached headquarters, Dumbledore and Moody had yet to arrive. No one lived there full time and it was only used occasionally for meetings in case someone needed to surrender its location under torture. Sirius dropped her hand, going to the window, still silent.

"Sirius.." Hermione began hesitantly. When he turned to look at her with turmoil swimming in his eyes, she immediately knew what was going through his mind. "It wouldn't have been your fault."

His eyes widened slightly before he lifted an eyebrow cockily, trying to mask his emotions.

"In my time, under your hatred for Pettigrew, there was an even deeper guilt for choosing to switch secret keepers last minute. You always blamed yourself a little bit."

He turned away again and looked out the window for a minute before finally responding in a slightly detached tone. "Well it would only seem right."

Hermione's heart went out to him, knowing that it was his guilt that turned him into the shell of a man she'd known in her time. She walked over to him, gently placing her hand on his shoulder, which made him turn to her in surprise.

"You, Sirius Black, are loyal to a fault. Never underestimate yourself, or what you're capable of doing for those you love."

He looked down at her intensely, his normally light grey eyes darkening to steel. She realized how close he'd gotten when she felt his breath lightly drift over her face and she jerked back suddenly.

"Besides," she continued, forcing a light tone to her voice, "it'll never be an issue now."

Before he could reply, the fire roared up to make way for Dumbledore and Moody.

"Professor! Moody," she acknowledged.

"Hello Miss Granger, Mr. Black," Dumbledore noted with twinkling eyes.

"Morning," Sirius responded in good nature before taking his leave. "I'll let you all get to your work."

"Alright," Moody said gruffly. "Lets get down to business."


	7. The Easy Ones

**CHAPTER SEVEN** : **THE E** **ASY ONES**

"So Miss Granger," Dumbledore asked as they all sat down. "Where are these Horcruxes?"

"Everywhere, Professor," Hermione replied grimly. "His first one, his diary, is probably somewhere in Malfoy Manor because he entrusted it to Lucius Malfoy. The Gaunt ring is going to be at the ruins of Gaunt house. The locket of Slytherin was originally hidden in a cave. I know one of his Horcruxes is a snake, but it always stays with him so we can't go after it until the very end."

"That's only four," Moody said.

"I think the fifth was entrusted to Bellatrix." She shuddered as she remembered Bellatrix's mania when she was interrogating her about being in her vault. "Is she a Lestrange already?"

"No," Moody said surprised. "She becomes one?"

"Yes she does... But if she isn't one already then the Horcrux might be in the Black vault at Gringotts."

"And the sixth?" Dumbledore implored.

"I'm not sure, we hadn't gotten that far in my time. I just need more time to research possibilities."

"You said there were seven in your time." Moody insisted.

"I did," she said firmly. "However, you Professor," she said looking to Dumbledore, "weren't very forthcoming. So while I'm not entirely positive, I do believe the seventh one hasn't been made yet and won't be if we manage to keep the Potters safe."

"How would you know that if you were never told?" Moody looked at her suspiciously.

"I'm quite sharp," she said dryly. "I'm known in my time as the brightest witch of my age."

"But-"

"I think we can trust her word on it, Alister," Dumbledore said patiently.

"Okay so how should we go about obtaining them?" He asked instead.

"I can fetch the one in the Gaunt house myself. I have someone who can get me the diary from within Malfoy Manor as well." Dumbledore assured. Hermione looked at him knowingly and Dumbledore could already tell she knew of Snape's involvement.

"And the locket?"

"Well that depends entirely on Miss Granger. My dear, you said it was originally in a cave. Does that mean it has been moved elsewhere?"

"That depends. Is Regulus Black still alive?"

"I'm afraid not," Dumbledore said, slightly confused.

"Then the locket is going to be in Grimmauld Place. Kreacher the house elf will know where. Regulus died from defying Voldemort after he abused Kreacher. He'd found out about the locket and got it out of the cave in hopes of destroying it but got taken down by the inferi in the cave."

"Oh my, we should inform young Mr. Black of this news," Dumbledore said.

Hermione nodded absentmindedly.

"Actually, perhaps you should be the one to tell him, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said with twinkling eyes. He might have questions only you would know the answers to."

"That's what I'm afraid of.." Hermione mumbled, continuing to agree to speak to Sirius when Dumbledore asked her what she'd said.

"Alright then, I'll inform my contact to bring us the diary as soon as possible. And then Alister, you and I will be going to retrieve the ring."

All agreeing on the tasks at hand, they walked to the fireplace together. Moody went through first. Dumbledore turned to her, looking at her sympathetically.

"Get some more rest, Miss Granger. You've had a taxing journey, I'm sure things wouldn't have gotten better in just a few days."

"Yes, sir." She watched him turn before calling out in panic. "Oh Professor!"

Dumbledore turned back to her.

"When you get the ring, don't put it on. It's cursed. The stone on the ring is the Resurrection Stone and in my time, you put on the ring before you destroyed it, and it cursed you quite badly."

A flash of guilt and sadness passed behind the surprise in Dumbledore's eyes. "Thank you for the warning, Miss Granger. I'll let you know once we have them."

 ** _~o~o~o~_**

When Hermione returned to Potter Cottage, there was no one in sight. She went up to the guest room, sitting down tiredly on the bed. With the rush and urgency of the last few days, she'd hardly had time to take inventory of herself. She could still feel the lingering ache of the Cruciatus curse, but also knew no healing spells or potions could make them better.

Rummaging through her beaded bag, she dug up an old photo of her, Ron, and Harry back from third year. It was after they'd rescued Sirius, so Ron's leg was still in a cast. _Ron._ Her chest clenched painfully as she remembered his last words to her. Hermione was never one to be overly interested in her romantic life, but the one person she did care about in that capacity had always been Ron. But now her Ron was dead. Sure, Ronald Weasley was still alive in this time but he was only a few months old and not the man she'd grown up with. Neither was Harry, nor any of the Weasleys. She couldn't help but think that if she died, there was no one left in the world who would truly mourn her loss.

She jumped at an unexpected knock on her door, turning just in time to see Sirius poke his head in.

"Oh hi," she said, brushing away her tears quickly.

Sirius' small smile faded once he saw her face. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, fine. What is it?"

"I just wanted to see if you got back safe."

"Oh.." Hermione wasn't quite used to this. The only people who'd ever bothered checking on her was Ron and Harry, and even that was occasionally. She always stayed under everyone else's radar, managing to slip away for hours without anyone batting an eye. "Thanks for checking," she said, genuinely meaning it.

"Okay, well I'll be loitering downstairs if you need me." He turned to leave, closing the door behind him, when Hermione remembered her promise to Dumbledore.

"Wait, Sirius."

"Hmm?"

"I have something to tell you," she began nervously.

He cocked an eyebrow playfully, leaning against the door frame. "Oh? Do tell. Any embarrassing stories about the others?"

"You might want to sit down, actually."

"If that's an invitation to join you in bed, you can just ask, love" He teased, even as his smile dimmed slightly. He made his way over to her, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"There's a lot of secrets that were uncovered in the future about this time," she began hesitantly. "One of them being about your brother."

Sirius blinked owlishly.

"You see, when we started our mission, we found out that Regulus actually stole one of Voldemort's Horcruxes from its hiding place and intended to destroy it before he died."

"I don't understand," Sirius said, shaking his head in confusion.

"I know you two had your differences, I just wanted you to know that he tried in the end. He tried to do the right thing."

"That's not possible," Sirius said blankly. "Regulus hated Muggle Borns, he believed all the Pureblood supremacy crap, there's no way he would just change his mind that deep into it."

"Well I truthfully don't know if he did or not, but he didn't want Voldemort taking over and worked against that happening."

Sirius stared off with unfocused eyes, lost in his own thoughts.

"Look," Hermione said gently, placing a hand over his. "I know this can't be easy, and you don't need to even react. I just wanted you to know. You deserve that much, at least."

His eyes snapped back into focus as his stormy grey eyes met hers. He squeezed her hand back, clenching it so hard it nearly pained Hermione. "Thank you," he simply said, meaning those words more than she could ever know.

Sirius always had a rough history with his family. Knowing that maybe one of them might've had the potential to be more than just a blood tie gave him a sense of closure. It gave him the permission to mourn Regulus knowing he died in favor of the light because he most certainly hadn't mourned his Death Eater brother's passing properly.

Hermione, seeing the turmoil in his gaze, gently drew him into her arms, somehow knowing exactly what he was thinking about. "Sirius, you will always have a family with your friends. Your friendship with each other was one of the strongest things I'd ever seen. _Never_ think that you're missing out on a family."

Sirius froze for a second, completely caught off guard by her insight. Only James really knew about his insecurities about family, and that was only because he'd lived with the Potters the year after running away from home. Everyone else seemed to buy that he disliked his relatives' principles enough not to yearn for family- at least a real, loving one.

He brought his arms up, slowly settling his hands along the lower curves of Hermione's waist, taking comfort from her soft warmth. His breath hitched infinitesimally as he inhaled her subtle scent of roses and caramel, and for the first time in years he felt like a pubescent boy all over again.

Hermione withdrew easily from his arms, seemingly unaffected by their embrace and unaware of his senses wrecking havoc on him. _But then again why would she,_ Sirius thought as an annoying revelation came to him. To her, he was a man 20 years her senior and the godfather of her best friend. _Of course she doesn't see you that way, you dumb dog._

"I think I'm going to take a nap," Hermione said sheepishly, politely dismissing him from her room. "I hadn't realized how weak I still was from before."

Sirius rose smoothly, shaking off the slight sting to his pride. He was Sirius Black, for crying out loud. Girls used to fall over themselves trying to get with him back in Hogwarts. He'd had his share of women, there was no reason to get hung up over the fact that his godson's best friend didn't seem to be aware of him in that capacity at all. But still, he couldn't help it.

"Hermione, what were we in your time?"

She raised her eyebrow slightly before answering easily. "Friends."

"We were actually friends? You weren't just my godson's best friend?"

She smiled fondly, thinking back to third year. "Well I got you out of a bit of a hitch one year, and since then, yes we were friends."

"Maybe you'll tell me the story one day," he smiled, feeling lighter that she'd already felt some sort of connection to him other than acquaintanceship.

"Maybe," she said elusively, her smile slightly strained now.

He turned to leave, having his own work to get back to.

"Goodbye, Sirius."

"Sleep well, kitten," he threw her one last smirk before closing the door behind him.


	8. All We Can Do

**CH** **APTER EIGHT** : **ALL WE C** **AN DO**

Sirius was true to his word, making himself comfy in the Potters' living room couch and loitering through their kitchen. The Potters and Longbottoms had a meeting with McGonagall and until they returned, their house was otherwise unoccupied. Sirius had taken it upon himself to watch over Hermione, justifying it to himself because she wasn't back up to full strength.

He'd been flipping through Lily's collection of those muggle movies when he heard a blood curling scream tear through the peaceful cottage. _Hermione._

Sirius bound up the stairs, a million scenarios racing through his head. Maybe Peter somehow heard who she was and came to the cottage to take her out himself? There were only so many people who could get into this safe house. When he burst through her door, he froze at the unexpected sight of Hermione thrashing on top on the bed, screaming her voice hoarse. She hadn't even bothered to get under the covers and must've only been asleep for less than half an hour.

In seconds, he was by her side, trying to still her writhing form.

"Hermione!"

"Hermione, wake up!"

" _Hermione ple_ ase," he pleaded with her as her screams turned into whimpering sobs.

Her eyes snapped open and she jackknifed up in bed, uncontrollable sobs spilling from her lips. She stared blindly ahead of her, the panic clear in her eyes.

"Hermione, you're safe, I promise," Sirius assured, drawing her face to his with two gentle hands at her jaw. She flinched away from his touch, shuffling back up the bed in fear, scrambling away from Sirius. He felt like someone punched him when he realized Hermione was scared of him.

Thinking instinctively, he immediately transformed into Padfoot, jumping on to the bed before carefully walking to her side. She seemed unaware of his presence until he decided to gently nudge her trembling hand with his muzzle. Her eyes focused on him, rouge tears still making their way down her cheeks. She raised her shaking hand to run her fingers through his fur as she let out a shaky breath. She began absentmindedly rubbing her scarring arm, feeling the painful burn return from her memories. Padfoot saw her reddened skin, wincing at the slur. Much like a dog would do for its companion, he began licking her wound over thoroughly, resting his head over the injury once he was done, looking up at her with concerned eyes.

She smiled sadly at him before the tears began falling faster and faster. Bowing her head over her lap she took in strained breaths.

"I just- I can't close my eyes without going straight back to that night. It's h-haunting m-me."

Padfoot rose from his perch, and nosed the side of her face, making her look up from behind her curtain of hair. He nuzzled his head into her neck, offering comfort. She hesitated for a split second before wrapping her arm around his fluffy neck and hugging him close. Hermione took long shuddering breaths while Padfoot patiently sat with her.

"Thank you, Sirius," she finally said contritely, withdrawing her arms from him.

He studied her, almost disappointed at the loss of her touch, but didn't leave or transform as she'd expected. He looked back at the pillows, as if asking whether she wanted to go back to sleep.

"I really should get some more rest," she thought aloud, wanting to do anything but.

Sirius easily settled on the bed, lying flush against her side, sharing his radiating warmth. If she was afraid to sleep again, he'd simply stay and make sure to keep an eye on her. She seemed to understand, but hesitated. Eventually, she laid down, resting her arm over Padfoot's shoulders.

"Thank you, Sirius," she whispered before letting sleep claim her once again.

Little did she know, Sirius was perfectly content lying next to her, simply taking in her sweet scent and listening to her steadying heartbeat.

 ** _~o~o~o~_**

Sirius's peace was disrupted a second time by another yell. However this time, the sound was significantly deeper and most decidedly masculine. He lifted his head and saw that the sound had woken Hermione too as she was already swinging her legs off the bed with her wand at the ready.

 _Damn the chit had fast reflexes._

Before he even pulled himself up, she was already making her way out the door. He'd just transformed back when he heard Hermione's shocked voice.

"REMUS?"

Sirius immediately ran down the stairs. Remus was assigned to keep to his mission with the wolves at least until the end of the month. Dread pooled in his stomach seconds before he was met with the sight of his bloodied friend, looking only half alive.

Remus unsteadily collapsed to his knees, unable to hold himself up any longer. Hermione rushed forward, catching him in her arms and slowing his fall. She immediately summoned her bag from upstairs, which narrowly missed Sirius's head as it whizzed past him. She immediately poured dittany onto his open wounds, murmuring spells over his body.

"Remus, what happened?" Sirius asked desperately, falling to his knees beside them.

He tried to respond only to dissolve into a fit of coughs, hacking up blood from the exertion.

"Shh.." Hermione soothed, steadying his head with one hand while hovering her wand over his chest. Slowly his wheezing breaths eased as his body relaxed. She gently levitated him to the couch. She disappeared into the kitchen while Sirius sat on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"You okay, mate?"

"Yeah," he said weakly. "I think?"

"What happened?"

"Let's just say I lost my already precarious position with the werewolves."

Hermione strode back in with a cup of steaming hot chocolate, before emptying one of her small vials into it. "Here drink this, I put a healing potion in it, it'll help soothe over any internal damage I didn't detect."

Sirius looked at the drink warily, which Hermione with a pang of hurt did not miss, before Remus took it from her without hesitation. "Thank you, Hermione."

Before she could ask any more questions, the floo roared to life as the Potters and Dumbledore drifted into the room.

"Remus," Lily cried, rushing forward immediately.

"I'm okay, Lily," he said wearily. "Thanks to Hermione, at least."

"Oh dear," Dumbledore mumbled. "Did you lose your position with the werewolves?"

"Sorry, Professor. It couldn't be helped."

"I don't think it would've mattered either way," Hermione spoke up, immediately coming to Remus' defense. "Even in my time the werewolves were still largely sided with Voldemort. Remus is a talented wizard, his skills are not best used sending him chasing after werewolves that have no interest in our society. The ones who care are already on our side or will seek it out themselves."

Dumbledore grimly nodded his acceptance. "Very well then, Mr. Lupin. We'll have you reassigned as soon as you recover."

Lily and James stared at Hermione in shock while Remus gazed at her in awe. He'd never wanted the task of infiltrating the packs, but it was a necessary job. No one had ever dared speak up to Dumbledore that openly, telling him the failures of his plans. But even Dumbledore seemed to take her recommendations in stride.

"Thank you, Professor." Remus finally managed to say graciously.

"Miss Granger, we've made progress on obtaining two of the Horcruxes."

"That was quick," Hermione observed.

"Yes, well my source is efficient if nothing else. The only problem is we're going to need some help from Mr. Black for the next two on the list."

"Me?" Sirius interrupted. "What can I do?"

"The other two Horcruxes are hidden in places only a Black would have access to," Hermione told them.

"Precisely," Dumbledore continued. "Getting the locket from the house elf will be easy as Sirius can just summon him. It's getting into the Black vaults undetected that'll be more complicated."

"House elf? Kreacher?"

"Yes," Hermione confirmed. "But you _must_ be kind to him, Sirius."

"He's a house elf, Hermione- a foul one, at that." Sirius said blandly.

"So?" She responded in her most patronizing tone. "They're living creatures and just want some basic decency and recognition."

Sirius looked caught off-guard at her annoyed tone, and Lily snickered at his expense.

"Well might as well get on it, you two," James prompted them with an amused smile.

Sirius shrugged before opening his mouth to call Kreacher when Hermione smacked him in the arm.

" _Oww,_ " Sirius exaggerated. "Do you want me to call the elf or not, woman?"

She blinked owlishly for a second; his exasperated tone reminded her exactly of Ron whenever he told her to sort out her priorities. "Of course I do, but not _here_. We don't need Kreacher knowing where the Potters live."

"Oh.. right," he admitted sheepishly. "Okay then, let's go."

"Where-" Before Hermione could get a word in otherwise, Sirius grabbed her arm and she felt the familiar tugging sensation of apparition pull her away. They landed in some deserted alley and Hermione stumbled back from his grip on her wrist.

"You idiot, a warning is usually common courtesy," she exclaimed.

He raised an eyebrow before dryly saying, "You got one. Right before I apparated us."

"Ever heard of this novel idea called consent?" She teased him, already over his abrupt handling.

"If I remember correctly, _you_ were the one to tell me to take it outside," he threw back, grinning at her.

"Okay, let's get on with it."

"Kreacher!"

With a loud crack, a small hunch-backed elf appeared before their eyes. Hermione could see that time had no impact on this elf and the poor creature still looked as ghastly as she remembered him. While Dobby always looked young and doe-like with his big eyes, Kreacher reminded her more of a bullfrog.

"Young Master Black," he spit out disdainfully.

"I need you to fetch something for me. Something Regulus gave to you."

"The locket," Hermione supplied.

"Who might _you_ be," he turned a bitingly condescending tone on her.

"Hermione.. Dumbledore," she offered with an unnoticeable hesitation.

Kreacher's eyes widened in surprise. "Even being a blood traitor, Master managed to form a pure match."

"Oh we're not-"

"That is none of your business, elf. Now do as you're told."

"Master Regulus told Kreacher to hide it," he said shaking his head against the urge to obey Sirius. "Kreacher will not hand it over."

"Kreacher.." Sirius threatened with a dangerous edge.

"Kreacher," Hermione said gently, kneeling down to his level. "I know Regulus tried to protect you from him, and that he cared about you very much."

He glared at her stubbornly, even with pained tears glistening in his eyes. "Master Regulus told Kreacher to destroy it, but Kreacher _can't._ Elf magic is not strong enough."

"Kreacher, that locket is protected by some very dark magic. We only want to destroy it, and help finish what Regulus started," Hermione assured.

He stared at her, clearly torn. Hermione was not his mistress, Pureblood or not. Hermione smacked Sirius' knees, looking up at him expectantly.

"Yes Kreacher," he said exasperatedly. "We really do want to destroy it."

The house elf looked at them grimly before vanishing on the spot.

"Great." Hermione rose to her feet, clearly annoyed. "Would it kill you to be a bit more sincere?"

"Don't presume to tell me how to act with _my_ house elf," he bit out with narrowed eyes.

"He's just an elf, Sirius! They're practically slaves. You know, you were cruel to him in my time too, maybe that's just you." Her eyes flickered over him judgmentally.

"How _dare_ you." Sirius' eyes flashed dangerously. "He might be an elf, but he's been every bit as cruel to me as I to him. If he knew who you were, you wouldn't be getting nearly as warm a reception."

"But that doesn't excuse your high-handed-"

"I'm not _cruel_ , Hermione." Sirius said defeatedly. "I just don't have the mind to be polite to one of the beings who made my childhood a living hell at home."

Hermione stopped short. Had she jumped to conclusions? It's true, she didn't know much about Sirius. They were cordial, but she'd always had a stronger connection to Professor Lupin. She knew he had a whole history with his family, almost entirely bad, but she'd never heard any specific stories. Before she could apologize or call a truce, another loud crack interrupted them.

"Kreacher," she said surprised.

Dangling from the elf's wiry fingers was the golden locket she'd worn for months on the run. The same locket that drove Ron to storm out on her and Harry. The one that had them all snapping at each other for weeks. He held it out reluctantly to Sirius, refusing to make eye contact.

Sirius took it from him, pausing before saying, "Thank you."

Hermione looked to him in surprise, but he too avoided her gaze.

"Do not tell anyone I summoned you, or that you gave us the locket. But we promise we'll destroy it."

Kreacher nodded sadly as the necklace parted from his grip. He looked at it longingly for a second before disappearing once again. Wordlessly, Sirius offered Hermione his arm, which she took without argument, before apparating them back to the Potters'.

"Is that it?" James asked, curiously looking at the necklace as if it were a snake. _Well it did belong to Salazar Slytherin himself_ , Hermione thought wryly.

She grabbed the necklace, feeling a disconcerting heaviness settle on her before immediately releasing it. "Yepp, this is it."

"Excellent," Dumbledore said. "Now we just need to pay a visit to the Black vault to look for another one."

"Do we know what we're looking for?" Remus asked.

"I'm not sure," Hermione said. "But judging from Voldemort's obsession with relics, I'd say it's something that either belongs to Rowena Ravenclaw or Helga Hufflepuff."

"I can go," Sirius said shortly.

"I'll come with you," Hermione offered.

"No," Sirius insisted blandly. "The goblins might become suspicious if I announce I'm bringing a Dumbledore into the vault. It'll be more inconspicuous if I go alone."

Hermione frowned at him. "But-"

"He might be right Miss Granger, Voldemort has eyes everywhere. It would be foolish to think Gringotts wasn't under his purview as well."

"I guess.." she admitted. "Well you already know generally what you're looking for. Remember when you hold a real Horcrux, you'll feel the same unsettling sensation from when you held the locket."

"I've got it," he said, not meeting her eyes. Sirius handed the locket over to Dumbledore before turning on the spot and disapparating.

Hermione frowned at the spot he'd just left. She still hadn't had the chance to apologize to him for being harsh about Kreacher. She brushed it off, hoping he was simply short-tempered because of the Horcrux.

* * *

 **Hello all,**

 **Now don't get to comfortable because I like to make my characters work for their happy ending.**

 **I've found a fun (probably stressful for the reader tbh) twist to add to my take of this fanfic, one that I haven't seen done in any other stories like this (which is saying something because I've read almost all of the Hermione traveling back in time stories)!**

 **Let me know what you all think so far! Am I doing okay with the characters and their voices?**

 **~ Mischief Managed**


	9. Setting a Rat Trap

**CHAPTER NINE: SETTING A RAT TRAP**

 _ **~ Potter Cottage**_

It couldn't have been more than a few hours later, but they were all still waiting tensely at Potter Cottage. Sirius had left for Gringotts without any plan on how to get in without making a fuss or on how to find the Horcrux. Granted he _was_ still a Black, and he _should_ be able to get into the bank without any problems.

"Are you sure they won't ambush him?" Hermione asked for the tenth time.

"Hermione," Lily soothed sympathetically. "It isn't _that_ chaotic out there."

"She's right, Miss Granger." Dumbledore assured. "Voldemort may be powerful in this time, but he doesn't have complete control like he did in your time. He has spies everywhere, yes. But they haven't taken over _yet._ "

"Right... right..." Hermione muttered, still uneasy.

James was hunched over with his elbows on his knees, focused on his twiddling hands, and thinking about Godric knows what. Remus had drifted off soon after Lily snuck him a Dreamless Sleeping draught. She'd insisted he didn't know when to rest for his own good.

Remus actually looked quite peaceful as he slept. While he looked less haggard and much younger than the Professor she'd met back in her third year, the faded scars she'd first seen were angrier and fresher now. _Probably from his work with the packs._

The air shifted for a split second before the loud crack of apparition struck their ears. Sirius swayed unsteadily on his feet at the center of the living room, prompting James to his feet.

"Sirius!"

"I'm okay, I'm good," he said, regaining his balance. "I got it." He triumphantly pulled a small golden cup from within the folds of his coat.

Upon closer inspection, Hermione could see a small badger on the side of the cup. "The cup of Hufflepuff!"

"Yes," he confirmed.

Sirius held it out to Dumbledore, eager to get it off his hands.

"Well done, Mr. Black!"

Sirius merely nodded, shrugging his coat off. That's when they noticed it.

"Sirius, what is that?" Lily cried in alarm. His neck and parts of his jaw were showered in small nicks and cuts.

"Ah, these?" He asked lightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "There was a protection charm on the vault, but I got out of it."

"But-"

"I'm fine, Lily, they're just scratches."

"At least let me heal them," she pleaded.

"I've got it, but thank you little Red," he said affectionately, mussing her hair.

"Well then, I'll get these back to Hogwarts," Dumbledore informed them.

"Thank you, Professor," Hermione said.

"Oh Miss Granger, Halloween is nearing. Perhaps it will be best for us to discuss your plans for Pettigrew soon."

Everyone went eerily still at Dumbledore's statement, as if they'd forgotten that their friend is meant to betray them.

"Right, Professor." Hermione's dislike for Pettigrew was overpowered by her sympathy for the Marauders, who all still seemed to be avoiding facing the truth.

James levitated a still sleeping Remus, guiding him up the staircase to one of their guest rooms. Lily looked hesitantly between him and Sirius, who'd quietly wandered into the kitchen. Hermione shot her a small smile, heading after Sirius herself, leaving Lily to help James.

She walked in on him sitting on the dining room table, silently cursing as he struggled to heal the cuts scattered along his neck. He'd thrown his coat clumsily on a chair and his silky button up shirt was cuffed to his elbows and unbuttoned at his throat. Taking a second to observe him, she noted with a touch of surprise that he was still as poised and well dressed as the Sirius from her time. She strode up to him quietly, pulling out her own wand. He looked up at her in brief surprise before masking his emotions like the flip of a coin.

"I can handle it," he insisted, gently pushing her wand aside.

"Let me... please."

He let go of her arm as she began to murmur spells. She could feel his gaze on her, but she kept her eyes trained on the rapidly healing cuts.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to accuse you of being cruel, even though that's exactly what I did." Hermione began rambling in her nervousness. "I know you aren't, in fact I found it a miracle you could be as playful as you were even after so many years of-"

"So many years of what?" He whispered.

"So- So many years of carrying on without your closest friends. I mean I don't know what I'd do if I lost Harry or Ron-"

She closed her eyes as she realized she kept digging herself into a deeper and deeper hole.

"Hey," Sirius said softly, lifting her head with a finger under her chin. "It's okay."

"I really am sorry," she smiled sadly at him.

"I know." He held her gaze, studying her with his stormy grey eyes. He looked decades younger, and his eyes still held an honest, playful look that had been hardened in the man she'd known.

Feeling him inch closer, Hermione took in a sharp breath of air. His eyes flickered down to her lips and she found herself subconsciously licking them. He brought up his hand to gently tug one of the curls bordering her face, which snapped her out of her stupor.

 _"What the bloody hell are you thinking, Hermione? He's your best friend's godfather,'_ she scolded herself.

"Well, you're all healed up," she said with a forced cheery casualness as she took a few steps back from the table.

"Thanks-"

"It's been a long day, you know I should probably head to bed," she rambled, rushing out the door as if Fluffy were on her tail.

"Hermione-"

"Goodnight, Sirius, see you tomorrow!"

He watched with his jaw slacked, trying to process what had just happened. "But it isn't night yet..."

 ** _~o~o~o~_**

 _ **~Hogwarts**_

True to Dumbledore's word, the very next day they were all gathered at his office to discuss the trap for Pettigrew.

"So what do you propose, Hermione?" Lily asked diplomatically, since all the boys were taught with discomfort.

"Well I would say just let things play out how they would've in the original timeline. You and James and Sirius could get Pettigrew and ask him to be the secret keeper. Then hopefully, by the time Halloween comes around, Professor Dumbledore and other Order members can ambush him when he's meant to come after you two. He'll be alone, so it'll be your best chance to take him down."

"What about the other Horcruxes?" Dumbledore asked.

"The snake, and the one from Ravenclaw, yes. I'm sure we'll find them with time. Horcruxes can't be given a corporeal form without someone making it happen. We can't waste the chance to kill him now on the hopes that we'll find the remaining two anytime soon."

"She's right," Remus said. "With even a temporary lapse in his regime, we can gain back a lot of control."

"Well then, I suppose it's up to Mr. Black and the Potters to take it from here," Dumbledore said.

Sirius and James exchanged a grim look, nodding with finality.

"Remember," Hermione said to them. "You have to make it seem like only the four of you will know about the change. From what I'd understood, Pettigrew had been going around fueling your doubts in others for months already, so it won't be hard for him to believe you'd finally bought it."

Remus frowned at that revelation, keeping his eyes averted from his friends.

"Right," Lily said with one parting hug as the three of them took the Floo back to the cottage.

Remus looked down at his hands glumly before bringing himself to ask the question he'd been dreading.

"That's what happened though, isn't it? In your time. They believed I couldn't be trusted so they decided not to tell me about the switch?"

"Remus no," Hermione stressed, rushing forward. "I- I don't entirely know the details, but from what they've said already it made it seem like making you the secret keeper would only put you in more danger. Even you have to admit, no one would suspect Pettigrew."

He smiled grimly, nodding in acknowledgment. "I guess so."

"Don't think too hard on it, Peter did his share of manipulating to plant those doubts in their head anyway. They don't think badly of you."

"Right," he said, his amber eyes flashing at that realization. He quickly shook his head and his eyes were back to normal before she could even blink. "Let's do something fun, they shouldn't be done for a while."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Fortescue's?"

"Is it safe for us to be going out there?"

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore interrupted them, reminding them of his presence. "I can assure you, it's safe to go out for an afternoon with a companion. But might I suggest you don some disguises?" His eyes twinkled as he eyed the pair. "Extra precautions never hurt."

Dumbledore excused himself, informing them he had some affairs to attend to.

Hermione immediately looked to Remus, turning her wand on him. He looked shocked for a brief second before he felt her transfiguring his appearance.

His amber eyes deepened to include splashes of greens, his sandy brown and blonde hair darkened to a chestnut as it grew slightly longer. He could feel a slight scruff growing in around his jaw, and his body filled out his suit a bit more than normal with the addition of extra muscle.

"So?" She asked conjuring a mirror so he could look at himself.

"Wow, Hermione you're supposed to make me look inconspicuous." She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "I mean, at this rate, all the women in there will be flocking after me," he teased.

Hermione chuckled, lightly shoving him in retaliation. "Well poor you, Godric forbid you have beautiful women chasing after you."

Remus laughed with her as he pulled his wand on her. "Why would I need other women chasing after me the one day I'm already accompanying a beautiful witch?"

Hermione's laughs quieted at his subtle compliment.

"May I?" He asked, gesturing with his wand.

"Oh- um yes I guess so."

"Do you not want me to transfigure you?" He asked, disheartened.

"Oh no, go ahead, it's not that I don't trust you. I would just never let Ron or Harry try and transfigure me, that's why I hesitated."

"How come, aren't they your best friends?" He asked with a slight laugh as he hovered his wand over her features.

"They are," she defended easily. "But they're not the most skilled in magic that requires patience and subtlety."

"Shouldn't you have some faith in them?" He teased.

"Not when it interferes with my self-preservation, no," she said jokingly.

They teased each other light-heartedly as they went straight to Diagon Alley. When they stood at the cue at Fortescue's waiting for their turn, they'd become fully immersed in their easy dynamic.

"What are you getting?" Remus asked her.

"I think I'll have the Earl Grey and Lavender," she pondered aloud.

"That is quite possibly the most British answer you could've given," he barked with a laugh.

"Oh like you aren't just as obvious, Remus Lupin," she whispered in playful indignation. "Let me guess? Chocolate?"

"That's a lucky guess," he defended.

"Mhmm... You know that's probably the best advice you ever gave me as a professor." She then elaborated at his confused glance. "That eating chocolate will make you feel better."

"I was a professor?" He asked, dumfounded.

"Yeah, you were the defense professor my third year," she said slowly. _Hadn't the others told him?_

"You know it was always my dream to teach," he sighed wistfully. "I just never thought anyone would employ a-"

"Well you become one," Hermione grabbed his hand comfortingly. "One of the best I'd ever had, too."

Remus shot her a genuine smile, feeling more at ease with Hermione in a short period of time than he could remember being for a while. Everyone either knew only half of him because they were in the dark about his Lycanthropy, or they treated him differently because of it. Even his closest friends, who for years had _insisted_ that he merely had a "furry little problem" had doubted him, even if a little bit.

 ** _~o~o~o~_**

 _ **~ Potter Cottage**_

"Hi guys!"

James, Sirius, and Lily grimaced internally, gathering their strength to pull of this facade with someone they'd believed to be their friend.

"Hi Peter," James stepped forward, offering him an awkward hug.

"Hey Pete," Sirius stepped forward doing the same.

Lily rolled her eyes at their lack of finesse. As much as she loved her Gryffindors, they were terrible at subtlety.

"Is everything okay?" Peter asked nervously. "You guys are acting... odd."

The boys both winced and Lily elbowed them discreetly in warning.

"Everything's fine Peter," she tried to say airily. "We just have something important we wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh?" He squeaked.

"Well we were talking about how dangerous things have gotten recently, and we thought it might be best to switch secret keepers." Sirius said hesitantly.

"And we were hoping," James continued, holding Lily's hand, "that you'd be the new secret keeper."

"Me!?" Peter cried. "What about Remus?"

The trio was thrown off guard when he suggested they pick Remus before quickly gathering their wits.

"Remus has been too close to the packs. If someone found out he was secret keeper, it would only make it easier for Death Eaters to get to him." Sirius said.

"And everyone knows Sirius is the obvious choice," James added.

"You're like our secret weapon," Lily said. "No one would know we changed it to you outside the four of us, it's safest that way."

"Oh," Peter said, a pondering look taking over his face. "I mean if you think that's best, of course. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you guys!"

Lily, James, and Sirius looked at each other discreetly. Peter didn't seem like he was out to betray them. He didn't even seem to want to be secret keeper all that much. But then again, maybe that's why they were so blindsided in Hermione's timeline.

And with that they all sat down for an awkward meal, during which Peter seemed to remain oblivious to his three friends watching his every move and reaction.

 ** _~o~o~o~_**

 _ **~ Headquarters**_

Lily, James, and Sirius apparated to Headquarters after their lunch with Peter only to stumble upon Hermione and Remus laughing hysterically by the fireplace. He said something with a grin only to have Hermione shove him back on the rug in indignation. James and Lily watched the pair bemused, while Sirius felt a sliver of annoyance run through him.

As they took a step closer, Remus' gaze flew to the door, smiling at them in greeting.

"How'd it go?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"Good I think," Lily said. "He didn't seem like a mole; he didn't even seem to want to be secret keeper."

"Well he's good at sucking up to people when his life is on the line," Hermione said in an uncharacteristically hard voice, remembering the night in the shrieking shack. "He's probably gotten quite good at lying."

"Right..." James said sadly. "Well hopefully it'll all be over soon!"

Remus invited Lily to play a game of chess, and James leaped behind them, already making bets on how his precious Lily flower would surely beat Remus. Hermione smiled fondly. _This_ is the kind of home Harry is meant to grow up in.

Which reminded her... "Where is Harry?"

"With the Longbottoms!" Lily said easily. "He and Neville have become quite good friends," she smiled proudly.

"Oh... okay. Well I'm going to make some tea, does anybody want any?" James' hand immediately shot into the air like a school boy, reminding her of how she reacted every time a Professor asked for the answer to a question in class. She laughed at his goofiness while Remus and Lily both politely said, 'yes please.'

Hermione left to the kitchen, aimlessly looking about the cabinets for the tea, and cups, and a kettle.

"You know you can just summon everything."

Hermione jumped with a little squeak, spinning around with her hand gripping her wand. "SIRIUS! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry," he smirked, not sorry at all.

He summoned everything she could need for tea, and multiple cabinets opened as teabags, sugar, honey, and a kettle all flew to the counter in front of her.

"Thanks," she mumbled, busying herself with the tea.

He leaned casually on the counter next to her, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Feeling better this morning?"

"Of course," she said easily. "Why would I not be okay?"

"Well you rushed off to bed quite quickly last night," he hinted.

Hermione could feel blood rush to her cheeks as she remembered their moment. "I was just tired is all," she dogged, weaving around him to go to the stove. But he caught her arm before she could pass him.

"Hermione," he said hesitantly. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Wrong?" Her eyes flew to his in confusion. "No you didn't do anything."

"Then why are you dancing around me? I thought we were friends?"

"We were! I mean- we _are_."

"Then?" He asked in frustration.

Hermione gently eased her arm away from him. "Sirius, you and I were never all that close."

"You seem to know me pretty well considering we weren't close."

"What?"

"My weakness about family; no one really knows about it except James. And apparently you." He looked at her meaningfully.

"Well I'm just observant, really," Hermione argued.

"Do you like Remus?" He asked abruptly.

"Urm... sure I do, I've always felt close to him," Hermione said obliviously.

"No, Hermione," he said, edging closer, crowding her against the kitchen table. "I meant do you want to be with Remus."

"What- no of course not!"

"And why exactly is that?" He asked silkily, backing her up until she hit the edge of the table. "You seem so comfortable and _affectionate_ with him," he continued distastefully.

"Because he has Ton-... Because we're just good friends, and we always have been. Besides, I'm affectionate with all my friends!"

Sirius eyed her curiously, not missed her abrupt change in reasoning, but choosing to drop it.

"Is it because you remember him to be 20 years older than you? Or that he's practically your best friend's uncle?"

"No," Hermione denied, still confused. "But Harry wouldn't dare try and tell me who or who not to be with. I was quite mature for my age, and I did and will continue to do as I please!" Hermione defended herself heatedly, getting more and more annoyed with his interrogation. _If she suddenly wanted to be with Remus, she bloody well could. He didn't have any right to question her on it._

He grinned, satisfied with her answers.

"And you Sirius Black," she said poking him in the chest, "have no business questioning my personal life! I may know you from before, but you hardly kno-"

Sirius wove a hand into her voluminous hair, tilting her head up before bringing his lips down on hers. She stilled immediately in shock. No one had ever kissed her to shut her up before, but she had the nagging feeling it might've just happened.

Sirius smiled against her mouth, nipping it gently before kissing her more softly, urging her to respond. Hermione's eyes fluttered closed, and she brought up a hand to loosely weave into Sirius' hair as his hands trailed down her waist, drawing her flush against him. She could feel herself blush wildly as his kiss got more intense.

Hermione's only real experience had been with Victor Krum, and while he wasn't a soft flower boy type, he didn't take things too far either- just a few stolen snogs. After all, she'd only been fifteen at the time. Ever since, she'd been too consumed by Harry and Ron to even think about seriously dating. Not that she minded particularly; you can't miss what you never had.

He lifted her suddenly, placing her on the table and stepping between her open legs. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a small intelligent voice was screaming at her to pull away. _He was Sirius Black, for crying out loud. Funny, intense, and deeply unstable. Not to mention Harry's godfather._ But then the devil on her other shoulder tried to counter her better judgement. _It's not like she'll be Harry's best friend in this future. Besides, without going to prison, Sirius will never reach that level of instability. It was a miracle he was still sane after so many years around Dementors._

Tearing her mouth away from his, she tried to convince him this was a bad idea, because so far she'd failed to convince herself.

" _Sirius,_ " she gasped breathlessly.

Not taking the hint, he merely continued the journey along her jaw and down her neck, nipping at her hammering pulse.

"Sirius," she said more strongly, tugging his head back with a grip on his hair.

"What?" he whispered, coming back up to peck her lips.

"This isn't a good idea," Hermione insisted.

"From where I'm standing," he smirked as he pressed himself against her teasingly. "It's a brilliant idea. I've been wanting to do this since last night."

"I'm not from this time, this can't end well," she pleaded.

"So what? You're just as much a part of this time as anyone now."

"No, I'm _not._ I'm just here to make sure things never take a turn for the worse."

"Hermione," he said sternly, shaking her until she looked up at him. "Whether you like it or not, this time became yours the moment you decided to change the future. Now I'm taking this as a blessing because I happen to like your fire. And you have every right to say you don't want this, but so help me if you try to brush me off simply because it wasn't originally meant to be, you'll quickly discover I can be quite a pain in the arse."

Hermione grinned slightly at his impassioned speech. "Like I didn't already know you were an incorrigible pain in the arse."

He smirked at her. "So is that a yes?"

"It's a maybe," she allowed.

His teasing expression fell slightly. "Do you not want me like th-"

Before he could finish voicing his concerns, she pressed her lips softly to his, pulling away and resting her forehead against his. "Let's see where this goes," she clarified. "Believe it or not, we really weren't that close before, and this," she gestured between them, "is entirely new."

"Oh come on, you can't tell me you were never intrigued by me," he smirked devilishly. "I wouldn't have been _that_ old by the time you met me."

"You weren't," she allowed with a smile. "I guess even then you were quite well dressed."

"Oh just admit it, you thought I was fit."

"Please," she said playfully. "I just liked you as Padfoot; I did always want a dog."

"Sure, sure, that's why-"

"Ehem," a deep voice interrupted them.

Both their heads snapped to the doorway to see James Potter grinning ear to ear gleefully. "Well that didn't take long," he observed.

Hermione blushed like a tomato, pushing Sirius back forcefully and jumping off the table, nervously setting herself to rights. She walked towards the exit, stopping in front of James.

"You'd better not go advertising this to the entire Order," she threatened knowingly in her best Prefect tone.

"Does that tone usually work with my son?" He asked, the goofy grin not leaving his face.

"Usually," Hermione admitted sadly.

"Well, I'm sure you'll realize we don't really take well to being told what to do," James said sharing a mischievous glance with Sirius.

"Hrmm..." Hermione narrowed her eyes. "No, but I'm sure Lily could talk some sense into you if need be."

James' eyes widened comically at her well placed threat. Holding his hands up in surrender, he chuckled good-naturedly. "Okay, my mouth is zipped."

Hermione left the room with a prim nod, trying not to blush as Sirius winked at her.

"For now..." James whispered after she'd left.

* * *

 **Hello all ^_^  
This was a long chapter, I hope it makes up for the lag in updates.  
Next chapter is going to be when shit hits the fan so be prepared for a lot of drama. What do you think is going to happen?  
Let me know your thoughts! **

**Thank you so much for all your reviews, I can't tell you how helpful they've been! One thing I love about this community is how constructive you all are, and how helpful you've all been in making sure I keep the characters authentic. Feel free to call me out if anything feels off in the future.**

 **~ Mischief Managed**


	10. Unexpected Outcomes

_Rated M for Sexually Explicit Content. Read at your own discretion!_

* * *

 **CHAPTER TEN: UNEXPECTED OUTCOMES**

 _ **~ Potter Cottage**_

She'd had another nightmare.

It had been exactly a week since she fell into this time, but the nightmares were the one constant she'd learned to expect. Hermione's eyes flew open in the middle of the night, and she could feel her skin clammy with sweat but found herself unable to move. Unaware of whether she'd stayed frozen for minutes or hours, she finally shot up in bed with a small shriek.

Breathing heavily, she tried to quiet herself lest she wake baby Harry and the Potters. But she couldn't stop the tears from escaping as she tried to choke back sobs and violent shudders. She was hyperventilating, but she couldn't stop.

The door to her room creaked open, but Hermione failed to notice because she was caught up in trying to calm herself. She snapped to attention when she felt something cold and wet nudge her temple. Looking up, she startled at the big black dog sitting calmly in front of her on the bed. He tilted his head as she stared at him as if to ask 'are you okay?'

Without pausing to think about her actions, she threw her arms around Padfoot, burying her face in the fur at his neck. Padfoot lowered his head onto her shoulder, comfortingly nuzzling her. Somehow Sirius always seemed to know Padfoot helped when she was inconsolable. Because while people ask questions and whisper false promises, no one expects to _need_ to talk to animals, they simply exist at your side.

With shaky breaths, she pulled herself back together one second at a time. Once she'd calmed down enough to take steady deep breaths, she pulled back from Padfoot, brushing back her hair in slight embarrassment.

"Thank you..."

Padfoot pushed his paw against Hermione's shoulder as if instructing her to lay back and go to sleep again.

"Will you please stay?" Hermione kept her eyes averted from hesitation.

Not needing to be asked twice, Padfoot easily settled into her side.

 ** _~o~o~o~_**

He cornered her the next morning in the kitchen.

"You know," he said in an easygoing tone as he came up behind her. "Women don't usually sneak out of my bed the morning after."

Hermione blushed bright red when his lips brushed against her earlobe. "It's technically _my_ bed."

He turned her with his hands on her waist, pushing her back against the counter. He smiled wolfishly before brushing his nose against hers playfully.

"Same difference."

"Sirius, someone might walk in on us again," she protested half-heartedly as he pushed against his chest.

"Let them," he said seconds before bringing their lips together hungrily.

The second his tongue ran along the seam of her lips, all of Hermione's logic and protests flew out the window. Of course her brain would go AWOL when she needed it. She gasped in surprise against his mouth, and he took full advantage, sweeping his tongue along hers.

Sirius kissed her with a hunger Hermione had never experienced before. At least not aimed towards her. Victor was always a bit rough with his kisses, and Cormac was a fiend with absolutely no tact and all tongue. But Sirius' patience and finesse reminded her of the way one would play an instrument- skillfully and meticulously.

Throwing caution to the wind, Hermione responded with equal passion, pressing her body up against his. Sirius growled low in his throat, pulling her even closer with a hand that was slipping dangerously low on her spine, resting precariously over her tailbone. On a whim, she nipped his lips playfully.

Sirius froze for a split second, his hand squeezing her hip hard, before he instinctively pressed himself against her. Hermione felt breathless at the hardness she felt near her hip. She tore her lips away from his but he didn't stop, peppering kisses down her throat. Hermione tried to lean away, overwhelmed- he was everywhere all at once, his lips nipping at her neck, one hand caressing her ribs while the other one maintained a steely grip on her hip. He bit down on her clavicle to keep her in place, to which Hermione suddenly tensed, but was unable to stop the low moan that escaped her lips.

Sirius' hand slipped up to cup her breast, kneading deeply enough for Hermione to let out a low whine and thrust instinctively against his hips. His lips broke away from her skin as he rested his head against her collarbone, breathing huskily.

"Hermione," he warned, his voice guttural as if he hadn't spoken in weeks. "I wouldn't do that, love."

She smirked, loving the reaction she was able to pull from him. It made her feel powerful and feminine in a way she'd never explored before. Teasingly she brushed her hips against his again.

"What if I want to?"

Sirius groaned, his warm breath fanning down her shirt. Hermione could feel heat pool in her torso, making her impatient. Sirius was holding himself carefully still, clinging onto the last shreds of his control.

"Sirius," Hermione whispered. "Kiss me."

His patience shattered and he drew her face up to his, drawing from her lips like a man dying of thirst. Before she could preen in satisfaction, he slipped his thigh between her legs, pinning her between his unyielding body and the counter. He traveled down her torso, making quick work of the dainty pearl buttons holding the top of her shirt together. He nipped at the swell of her breasts, causing her to push up against him with a breathy sigh. His light stubble scratched tantalizingly at the soft skin in the valley of her chest, making Hermione shiver in need.

Hermione's breaths grew unsteady as she clutched onto the hair at Sirius' nape as an anchor. But suddenly, he stilled against her.

"Fuck," he cursed lowly before jerking himself back from Hermione and fixing the buttons on her blouse as quickly as he'd undone them.

"What is it?" Cold disappointment crashed in on the fire that'd overtaken her senses.

"They're awake," he said shortly before stepping away from her smoothly, grabbing a cup of coffee, and sitting down at the kitchen table all before Hermione could bring herself to take a single step away from the counter.

Her mind struggled to make sense of the rushed change in mood before realization came over her once she heard someone walk down the stairs.

"Morning you two!" Lily said cheerfully in greeting.

Hermione flushed under Lily's gaze, looking quickly to Sirius, who gave her a subtle wink.

"Morning, Red," Sirius said easily.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Lily asked curiously. "You look rather... flushed."

"Fine," she said, her voice abnormally high. She cleared her throat nervously. "Just didn't sleep too well."

Lily assessed her with piercing eyes, as if detecting something had happened.

"I'll go check on Harry, shall I?" Hermione offered quickly, rushing out of the room before they could stop her.

Sirius sipped at his coffee innocently when Lily turned her accusing gaze on him.

"What exactly do you think you're doing with that poor girl, Sirius?" Lily's eyes were blazing with protective anger.

"I'm quite sure I don't know what you mean," he said easily.

"Oh please, don't play dumb. James and I have no secrets. Besides," she said pointedly. "You're not the only animagus in the house with sharpened hearing."

"Well I'll be," Sirius said in mock wonder. "Never took Prongs for a voyeur."

"SIRIUS!"

"Give it a rest Lily, we're just two young people having a bit of fun."

"Hermione is very fragile right now, I don't want you making things difficult for her," Lily pleaded.

"Little Red," he said sarcastically. "I don't know what James thought he heard, but I wasn't bullying the girl, I was pleasuring her."

Lily's lips curled in distaste before she smacked the back of his head. "Hermione deserves better than your fleeting attention. She's new to this time, Sirius! Let her grow some roots before you try making moves on her!"

"It's not like I'm trying to marry the chit, Lily! We're just having some fun. Two grown adults exploring a connection!"

"Yes, I know exactly how many _connections_ you've explored. That's why I want you to stop playing with Hermione. She doesn't need this. For Godric's sake, she's just lost everyone she knows and loves and is actively sabotaging her future for all our sakes! She needs people who will stick with her through it all."

"Who says I won't stick around?" He said defensively.

"Oh come on Sirius. Do you really think that after you lose interest in this that Hermione is going to feel perfectly fine when you bring around your rotation of women? Unless you're saying Hermione's more than that?" Lily glared at him knowingly, accustomed to his habit of hopping around women and never actually settling into a relationship.

"I do care for her, she's already a great friend! But this is new, you can't expect me to be able to say she's my Lily," he said, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Exactly," she stressed. "It's too soon. And it's not worth jeopardizing Hermione's feelings and comfort if you just end up realizing she's another one of your conquests."

Sirius glared at her. He loved Lily but he hated when her self-righteous nature made her paint him as a heartless playboy. He never lied to the women in his life. He never committed to more than he could live up to. And the women who he carried on with knew that. He didn't have conquests, he had perfectly willing and aware partners. They knew he was only ever in it for a good fuck, and they were okay with it because they wanted it too. Besides, in the midst of this bloody war, Sirius didn't have the emotional capacity to commit to a girlfriend because all of his tender love and care went straight to his closest friends.

Lily's outrage dimmed slightly when she realized she'd hurt her friend. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. It's just that Hermione is in a place where she needs your undying friendship more than she needs a potential fling."

Sirius stared at her stubbornly, even while knowing Lily was right.

"It's between me and Hermione. Besides, she's a grown woman."

Lily watched him sadly, but dropped the matter. She knew there was no convincing Sirius otherwise once he'd set his sights on someone new.

 ** _~o~o~o~_**

 _ **~ October 31, 1981... Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix**_

"We should have back up at the cottage," Kingsley insisted for the fifth time.

"We can't," Hermione said. "If Voldemort detects there's more than three people, he'll be tipped off. We only have one shot at this."

"I believe we're ready," Dumbledore concluded, standing near Moody and McGonagall. They'd decided that the two would use Polyjuice to disguise themselves as James and Lily while Dumbledore would remain out of sight.

"Here, take this." Hermione handed Professor McGonagall one of her charmed Galleons from fifth year. "You can charm it to send my matching coin a message, and we'll know immediately if you need us."

Everyone stepped back as McGonagall and Moody gulped down their potions. Minerva winced distastefully, forcing herself to swallow the vile potion, while Moody didn't even react. Lily and James watched in fascination as their mentors bubbled into their mirror images. Lily clutched a dozing Harry to her chest, anxious about the night ahead of them.

"Be careful," Hermione said softly, praying this wasn't goodbye.

With a very final crack, the three disapparated to their post at Potter Cottage, leaving the rest behind. The Prewett twins were uncommonly quiet for once, Molly and Arthur sat tensely at the table clutching each other's hands, and Kingsley paced uneasily. The Potters were gathered on the couch, Lily and Harry cocooned in James' arms protectively. Remus sat stoically on a chair beside them while Sirius stood near the fireplace, his eyes unfocused and gazing into the flames. Hermione watched the last rays of the sun sink over the horizon with a crushing weight in her gut.

The timeline would be irrevocably changed tonight. She only hoped she hadn't made things worse.

 ** _~o~o~o~_**

 _ **~ 5 Hours Later...**_

"Why haven't they contacted us yet?" Kingsley looked to Hermione, half in suspicion and half in panic. It was nearing midnight and from what she knew, Voldemort should've already been at the Potters' place by now. She shrugged helplessly, not knowing how to appease him.

"Hermione, can you check in with McGonagall?" Remus suggested quietly.

Hermione pulled out her Galleon with shaky hands, raising her wand to send a message through. But her efforts proved unnecessary when a split second later the air shifted under the force of apparition as their leaders made their appearance. McGonagall and Moody had transformed back to their normal selves and Dumbledore stood between them with a frown shadowing his normally gentle expression.

"Professors! What happened?" Hermione immediately rushed forward.

"We ran out of Polyjuice," Moody replied grumpily.

"Hermione," Dumbledore began in a grave tone. "It would appear that your prediction did not come to pass. There was no activity anywhere near the cottage tonight."

"We set up a perimeter around all of Godric's Hollow as well," Minerva added. "There were no death eaters there tonight."

Hermione's face twisted in confusion. _How is that possible?_

"Wait, so does that mean Peter isn't a traitor?" Frank suddenly asked. He and Alice had joined them an hour ago, and their nerves didn't do anything to help calm the group.

Sirius' eyes flew to Hermione with an unspoken question. One he didn't want to ask.

"Well if You-Know-Who didn't show up to kill the Potters, then Peter must not have betrayed their location," Alice suggested, following her husband's line of thought.

" _Yet_ ," Hermione corrected quietly. "He _might_ not have betrayed them _yet._ "

Remus, James, and Sirius all shared a look, shifting uncomfortably in their seats.

"How would you know that?" Frank insisted. "Clearly this isn't what you remembered from your past, so maybe he didn't betray them at all! Look Hermione, I understand you have your perceptions, but we've known Peter for years. We grew up with him, we did."

"Isn't it possible that he didn't betray us?" Sirius asked quietly.

James shifted his eyes to Dumbledore. "Is it plausible, sir?"

"It is... possible." Dumbledore admitted, exhaustion seeping through his features. "Hermione's very existence did in fact alter our timeline. According to her we should've already lost the Prewett brothers by now, and we haven't. It could be that these changes, however small, caused a ripple effect to change the events of today."

"Okay, maybe a ripple effect changed Voldemort's plans for today," Hermione allowed. "But Pettigrew is still compromised!"

"How can you be sure, Hermione?" Remus asked softly, already looking apologetic for questioning her.

Hermione sputtered, getting frustrated. "B-because I saw him admit it in the future! He said Voldemort threatened him with his life so he told him the location of the cottage!"

There was a pregnant pause in the group as they all processed the new information. Hermione realized with a sinking feeling that she'd never shown them her memories from third year in order to avoid Sirius' imprisonment. The details of Pettigrew's betrayal were new to them.

"So even knowing that the pressure of being secret keeper made him a target, you still told us to give him that responsibility?" Sirius said in a dangerously flat tone.

Hermione looked to him, slightly confused by what he was asking. But his eyes were as cold and unmoving as steel.

"What do you mean? Pettigrew was a _bad_ man."

"Peter Pettigrew has been our best mate for the last ten years!" Sirius roared abruptly, making Hermione flinch in surprise. "The worst thing anyone could accuse him off was not having a backbone."

"Yes, well that lack of backbone got Lily and James killed!" Hermione argued.

"Well tonight just proved that he didn't," Frank pointed out. "That he hadn't."

Hermione looked around the group whose gazes became more and more suspicious or confused by the second. They doubted her, and she had no idea how to convince them otherwise.

"Come on!" Frank cried in frustration. "Where are you lots' loyalty?" He asked of James, Remus, and Sirius, who all winced at his accusation. "Some friends you are, not defending your best mate of 10 years when the proof is right in front of you!"

"Are you calling me a liar?" Hermione bit out.

"Not necessarily, but I'm saying maybe you don't know as much about the nuances of the past as you thought."

James looked at Hermione, assessing her closely. "Did Peter betray us because he turned dark or just because he was a coward at the time?"

Hermione wanted to jump to ensure them he was dark to begin with, but thinking logically, she just couldn't. When Pettigrew confessed, he'd said he was threatened to give up the secret house. She'd never heard him gloat about it. Then again he framed Sirius. And he supported Voldemort in the graveyard in fourth year.

"He... he eventually did turn dark. _Very_ dark. But it's possible that it started out of cowardice."

"Because his life was in danger," Sirius asked shortly, already knowing the answer.

Hermione stayed silent, not knowing what they wanted from her. Sirius rubbed his hands over his face, sighing in frustration. He looked to James, with a look of partial horror in his eyes.

"He even asked us why we didn't change secret keepers to Remus. He only accepted because we convinced him to. What have we been doing? Peter is family, why didn't we question it all more?" He implored of James.

Remus and Lily remained quiet, not particularly reacting to anything. But James started nodding along with Sirius, agreeing with him.

"I think we need to bring Peter into the loop again, before the pressure cripples him. Before it's too late."

"It's already too late!" Hermione cried out, trying to make them understand. "Regardless of whether he's told Voldemort yet or not, Pettigrew cannot withstand the pressure of threats. The part of him that would sell you out to save his own skin is still here!"

"Not everyone is meant to be a fighter," Sirius said firmly. "We always knew Peter wasn't meant to be in the middle of a war. But that doesn't make him a bad person. I've seen stronger men crumple under the threat of death."

Hermione's jaw slackened in shock at Sirius' adamant defense of Pettigrew. Looking around she could see many of the Order members seemed undecided. Frank and Alice were clearly suspicious of her. The Prewett twins didn't seem hostile but were clearly uncertain about the truth of the situation, as was Arthur and Molly. Remus and Lily, kept silent, but Hermione could tell they were seriously considering the possibility that Peter might not be a traitor.

Hermione turned her gaze back to Sirius angrily. "Why are you defending him? The first thing you did when you found out before was go after him to kill him!"

"And why didn't I?"

"Because Harry didn't want his godfather turning into a murderer!"

Sirius turned a bitter gaze on her, extremely unappreciative of her adamant bad mouthing of his friend.

"Let's all calm down," Dumbledore advised gently. "It's been a long night."

"Professor," Alice interjected again. "Aren't all of Hermione's claims circumstantial? She says the Prewett twins had died, but they haven't. The Potters weren't attacked. Peter hasn't betrayed the location of the house."

Hermione's heart clenched painfully as she realized they really didn't trust her. And she had no one to defend her. No one who would stand by her side and trust her word that she knew what she was talking about.

"I don't know if it's circumstantial, but it is possible it's altered," Dumbledore suggested. "Perhaps our timeline has been irrevocably altered since the moment Hermione came here. She is still right about the Horcruxes, and her memories were not falsified, _and_ she corroborated her past with Veritaserum."

Hermione pleaded with Dumbledore silently but he merely offered her an apologetic glance.

"So instead of trying to trap Peter, we could've been saving him?" James asked.

"Why would you want to-"

"STOP. ARGUING." Moody yelled sternly. "If Dumbledore is right, then the behavior of everyone going forward is following a new trajectory, or a slightly altered one at the very least. It's not going to help to look at hypotheticals." He looked at Hermione pointedly.

"There's one way we can check if Peter truly is with Voldemort," Remus suggested.

Everyone looked to him expectantly.

"The Dark Mark," he clarified. "We just need to check if he has one."

Hermione wanted to point out it wasn't as simple as that, and he might still be a traitor even if he was unmarked. But she knew her arguments wouldn't be welcome now. Everyone was too hopeful that they could save their comrade and friend.

 ** _~o~o~o~_**

 **~ The Next Morning**

Dumbledore called an emergency Order meeting in order to give those in the loop the opportunity to determine whether Peter had the Dark Mark without his knowing their intentions. The plan was to introduced Hermione to the rest of the group under her cover as a Dumbledore, and try to bait the mole by informing everyone of an informant tipping them off about an attempt on the Potters' lives.

The more time they were given to think about things, the more they convinced themselves that Peter was not a mole. And if he had betrayed the Potters in another timeline, it was simply because he was weak and they shouldn't have put him in the middle of a war to begin with. It drove Hermione absolutely _mad._ Because she couldn't say with absolute certainty that they were wrong. But she couldn't help the nagging feeling that Pettigrew still should not be trusted.

Everyone filed into the living room, crowding it. Peter was standing next to Sirius and Remus, unaware of the undercurrent of tension among the Order members who knew the full story.

"Everyone, I'd like to introduce my niece," Dumbledore announced straight away. "Hermione Dumbledore."

Quiet gasps of shock could be heard throughout the room as everyone eyed her appraisingly. Peter watched her with seemingly innocent eyes and she gritted her teeth against the instinct to hex him where he stood.

"She's recently come to stay with me," he continued. "I hope everyone will have the courtesy of helping her find her way around here."

Quiet whispers filled the room, as everyone began speculating where the Mini-Dumbledore had been all this time. The Professor was very secretive about his personal life, after all.

"In addition," Dumbledore interrupted them. "We recently received a tip from a source about an attempt on the Potters' lives."

Hermione carefully watched Peter, noting with disappointment that he had the customary look of shock and concern on his face. Dumbledore adjourned the meeting, asking everyone to stick around so he could check in with them personally. Sirius immediately led Peter into the den, which had been purposed as a small library and study. Hermione's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Meeting Lily's eyes, she gestured to where the pair were slipping away and with a nod of agreement, they followed after them with James in tow.

"Right, well these are quite filthy, but we have to move them by hand. Moody warned us about possible relics instilled with dark magic and all that," they could hear Sirius say.

They watched undetected from just outside the door as Sirius pushed his sleeves up in a show of preparing for manual labor. Peter watch him hesitantly and Hermione gloated internally. _He probably doesn't want to show his mark._ But then Peter did the same, cringing as he approached the dusty boxes.

"Why are we doing this? I don't know about you, but I don't know much about dark magic," he said.

Peter looked up to see a shell shocked Sirius gazing at him blankly. Peter's arms were pristine, if not a bit pasty from the lack of sun. But there was no mark blemishing either forearm.

"Sirius? Are we doing this or not, mate?"

Sirius snapped to attention, rushing over and pulling Peter into a gruff hug.

"Sirius? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Peter asked, alarmed by his sudden affection.

"Sorry, yeah. It's just been a rough week," Sirius said pulling back. "Thanks mate, you've always been a great friend, and we don't tell you how much you mean to us."

Peter stared at him puzzled. "I know that, you don't need to tell me. Are you turning into a pansy or something?"

Sirius punched Peter's shoulder with a bark of laughter. "Well forgive me for trying to be sentimental!"

James made his way into the room, grinning with relief. "What? You all having fun without me?"

"Prongs!" Peter exclaimed. "Mind turning into the stag and letting us use you as a pack mule for these boxes?" He kicked the nearest of the bunch, coughing as dust flew into the air.

"You wish," he grinned easily.

Remus slipped into the room as well, having followed them over. Lily stood near the door with Hermione, glancing at her in concern.

"Is there any way that Peter might not be a bad guy?" Lily whispered to her.

Hermione looked away, tears of frustration and helplessness seeping into her eyes. "Would you believe me either way?"

Lily stayed silent, at a loss for an answer as she watched all four Marauders bond. Peter meant a lot to James, Remus, and Sirius. As much as she liked Hermione, she couldn't ask them to alienate one of their own on the hypothetical future that may or may not come to pass. Especially since the newer developments indicated that it wouldn't.

Quietly, Hermione turned away from the group of friends, making her way upstairs, not knowing where she was headed. Finding an alcove near a window somewhere up three flights, where it was completely deserted, she finally sat down with a thud, trying to determine how to go forward.

"Are you trying to make this harder on us?" A disappointed voice asked her.

Hermione's eyes whipped to the staircase, wand clutched tightly in her hand.

"Sirius..."

"I know you think Peter is a bad guy, but he has the chance this time around not to be. He already made the choice not to be. Can't you be a bit more open?"

"Pettigrew is not a true friend." Hermione said firmly, a hard dislike filling her features.

"Why are you so against him? And how the bloody hell could you not tell us that he sold them out because his life was threatened?!"

"I didn't think it mattered! It certainly didn't matter to you in the future!" Hermione argued, her own voice rising to match his.

"Well it's not your place to tell us what we should or should not tolerate from our friends! He just proved he hasn't betrayed us, even with the perfect opportunity to!"

"Just because he hasn't yet, doesn't mean he won't! I'm just trying to help you all!"

"Well if this is your definition of helping us, stop." He said coldly. "These people are my family, and I won't have you aimlessly trying to tear us apart."

Hermione fell silent, every part of her body aching in misery. Sirius was glaring at her like he did the night she'd fell into Potter Cottage- with suspicion and distrust, and not even a hint of sympathy or concern.

"My priority is Harry," Hermione began firmly, proud of the steadiness she instilled into her voice even though all she wanted to do was curl into a ball and sob. "If there is even the slightest chance Pettigrew will betray the Potters, he is not someone I'll trust or even tolerate."

Sirius eyes snapped in impatience. "Well if you're so concerned about Harry, maybe you should've made sure he bloody well lived in your own damn timeline!"

Hermione flinched back at the accusation as if it were a physical blow.

"Harry has plenty of people to care for and protect him in this time," Sirius continued coldly. "His _real_ family. So if you're not going to be helpful, then just stay out of our business and stick to your mission with Dumbledore."

Without giving her a chance to reply he stormed back down the stairs, not sparing a single glance backwards.

Hermione sank down to the floor, feeling strangely empty. She could remotely feel tears streaming down her cheeks, but didn't have the energy to even process that she was crying. She was strangely quiet but the tears would not stop. Part of her wanted to just give up and find a way back to her own time. But she couldn't even do that because by now her timeline was erased completely. There's no telling what she'd go back to now.

She certainly didn't belong in this time; everyone had already made that clear. Even the people she knew from beforehand seemed to be suspicious of her. She didn't have a place here, and she doubted she ever could.

Hermione cursed herself for thinking she could potentially find a new life here even after everything had been resolved. But even still, she'd made an oath to protect Harry's future, and that meant even if those closest to him were unknowingly jeopardizing it. Reaching deep within herself, she tried to connect to Harry. For a brief moment, she panicked, not being able to find him. But then she felt the smallest caress of his magic trying to comfort her, and she let out a deep shaking breath in relief.

With her legs drawn up against her chest and arms wrapped tightly around herself as if trying to hold herself together, Hermione rocked herself back and forth.

 _I'm not alone, I'm not alone._


	11. Keeping Busy with the Weasleys

**CHAPTER ELEVEN: KEEPING BUSY WITH THE WEASLEYS**

 **~Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix**

That was how Lily found her almost an hour later, sitting on the floor curled around herself. Hermione's gaze was seemingly lost, unfocused on everything around her. Lily gently touched her shoulder, snapping Hermione to attention.

"Remus convinced Sirius and James to switch secret keepers back to Sirius as a precaution, and Peter agreed," Lily said quietly. "But they all want to move forward together."

Hermione's brows furrowed in confusion. "They didn't tell-"

"No," Lily quickly reassured. "They didn't tell him. I don't think they want him knowing that they doubted him."

Hermione nodded numbly.

"Come on, let's go home, Hermione."

She let Lily pull her to her feet, but kept her feet planted when Lily tried to lead her down the stairs.

"I don't think I should return to Potter Cottage with you guys," Hermione said, perfectly composed.

Lily turned back to her, guilt tainting her gaze. "Hermione, come on. I know you don't agree on the matter with Peter, but surely you can look beyond it? It's not like Peter lives with us."

"No it's not that, I just don't think I'd be welcome."

Lily got a hard glint in her eyes. "Well it's my house, and you most certainly _are_ welcome there."

"Lily, really I can't stay with you guys forever, this is-"

"Did Sirius say something to you?" she asked abruptly.

"Nothing I didn't already know," Hermione said with a forced but sad smile.

When the girls got back downstairs, Lily told the James, Sirius, and Remus about Hermione's plans, expecting them to back her up on insisting Hermione stay at the cottage. But they all stared at her blankly. She glared at them, demanding silently that they back her up.

"I mean, it's Hermione's choice. She's a grown woman Lils," James said hesitantly.

"Don't look at me, I don't live at the cottage, it's not my call," Sirius said uncaringly.

Remus merely shrugged, looking to Lily guiltily.

Hermione kept up her calm facade, but she'd be lying to herself if she tried to pretend that their attitude didn't sting.

"Well where the bloody hell else would she stay?" Lily demanded angrily.

"Maybe at headquarters if Dumbledore allows it," Hermione pondered. "If not, I can find my own accommodations." After all, she did still have the tent in the purple bag of hers.

"You will do no such thing!" A small redhead swept up to Hermione's side in a chastising tone. "Why would you try and find your own way when we have plenty of space? Besides you're far too thin, must not be taking care of yourself, poor dear."

A bit of the hardness Hermione had forced herself to adopt melted at Molly Weasley's familiar mothering. Maybe not everything changes.

"Oh I couldn't possibly impose," Hermione insisted.

"Nonsense!" Molly said indignantly. "We have plenty of space, don't we Arthur?" She yelled across the room to her husband, who'd been deep in conversation with Kingsley.

"Of course sweetheart," he said immediately, turning to give Hermione a warm smile. "You're more than welcome to stay with us. If anything it'd be a favor to us. We have seven young ones underfoot, and a new person would do wonders at keeping them busy and entertained."

A small part of Hermione stirred to life once again at the thought of being back at the Burrow. Around Ron, Ginny, the twins. It'd be the most familiar place for her, maybe second to Hogwarts.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. That'd be great," Hermione accepted graciously.

Lily watched her sadly with Remus, James, and Sirius all standing protectively at her back. Hermione's heart clenched at the sight. She'd had that not too long ago- with Harry and Ron. But Harry is getting the life he deserves this time around, which meant she had no place among them.

"Thank you for everything," she said to Lily. "Take care of yourselves." She spared all of them one last glance. Remus looked slightly uncomfortable under her gaze while James and Sirius appeared guarded.

 _That's right,_ she thought as she turned to leave with Molly. _This is for the best..._

 **~o~o~o~**

 **~ The Burrow**

"Do you reckon she's alive," a hushed young voice asked quietly. "She looks kinda pale, don't she?"

"Her chest is moving up and down, what do you think?" Another voice asked ironically.

Hermione could feel someone reach out to her seconds before she heard a loud smack.

"Don't _touch_ her! You might wake her! See this is why I'm the smarter twin!"

"Both of you, shut it! Before she- oh..."

All three boys stopped their bickering, staring wide eyed at Hermione, whose eyes had finally awakened from their sleeping state. She was sitting on a large plushy chair near the fireplace, surrounded by her books on the Founders of Hogwarts.

"Hello," Hermione mumbled sleepily.

"Oi you lot, Mum said not to wake the gues- Oh you're in for it now," another boy called from the threshold of the living room. He walked over to the other three boys. Hermione watched the children in front of her with slight awe as she'd been younger than all of them only a few weeks ago.

"Oh Hogwarts!" The newcomer exclaimed after glancing at her books. He puffed his chest out proudly. "That's where I'll be going next year! I'm Bill by the way, Bill Weasley." He confidently reached a small hand out to Hermione, offering her a smile.

"Well it's an honor to meet you, Bill," Hermione chuckled, taking his hand. "My name is Hermione."

"Oh me next!" The other boy pushed his way forward. He was slightly shorter than Bill but his hair was a much deeper red than the ginger hair of the other three, somewhat resembling the Prewett twins. "I'll be going to Hogwarts in two years!"

"And you must be Charlie," Hermione guessed, laughing affectionately.

"She knows my name," he whispered in awe to his older brother.

Hermione turned her gaze to the identical twins, who were standing slightly behind their elder brothers. They watched her shyly, as if afraid to approach.

"Hello," she said to them softly.

"You're not mad at us for waking you, are you?" One of them asked quietly as if waiting to be chastised.

"Not at all, it's quite a pleasant surprise to be woken by such lovely young men," she said sweetly.

Mischievous grins overtook their hesitance as they moved closer to her.

"I'm Fred!" One of the twins said excitedly, tugging on the blanket covering her.

"And I'm George, the smart one!" The other one said on her other side.

Hermione assessed them, peering at each of them very carefully before a satisfied Cheshire smile spread across her face. "Nice try Fred," she said looking directly at the one who'd introduced himself as George, "and George," she continued as she turned to the other one.

Their mouths dropped open in comical shock as they gaped at her like fish out of water.

"H-how... how'd you do that?" Fred asked in awe.

"Even Mum can't do that," George said, fascinated.

"Oh don't worry, your Mum's told me a lot about your little tricks while I've been here. I was prepared," Hermione lied easily. She'd always been able to tell the twins apart. Their eyes were very subtly different shades of blue.

"Aw Mum, why'd she ruin it!" Fred complained.

"How long have you been here?" Bill asked curiously.

"Almost a week, I think."

"We were at Aunt Muriel's place," Charlie whispered, looking to the door exaggeratedly to check for his mum. "It was a horrid stay, it was. But Mum and Dad said they had important business to see to so they just left us there."

Hermione cringed. She could empathize with the young children. She'd met Aunt Muriel at Bill and Fleur's wedding; she was not a pleasant lady and her sly judgmental comments would surely confused kids this young.

"I'm hungry!" Fred declared loudly.

"Let's go eat," George exclaimed, pulling on Hermione's hand after catching it in his small ones.

Hermione's heart melted at these young energetic children, entirely untouched by the war. She wished she could've been in their lives, wished she could've grown up with them. With an aching heart she wondered whether the infant her would grow close to them when she eventually went to Hogwarts.

Letting them drag her into the kitchen, she listened avidly to the stories they told to embarrass each other.

"Children!" Molly exclaimed. "You were supposed to let her sleep more!" Molly looked to Hermione apologetically.

"No it's alright, it was a welcome surprise," Hermione said fondly.

Molly's eyes softened in understanding. This girl had grown up with her kids, she must feel comfortable around them.

"Well then sit down to eat, dear."

They all joined the Arthur and Percy and the breakfast table. The children were chattering away, sharing their exciting stories with Hermione. Charlie and Bill had already asked her to judge who was the better flyer. And Percy asked her to tell her stories about school.

"Did you go to Hogwarts too?" Bill exclaimed excitedly.

"I did," Hermione confirmed, without thinking about the consequences. Oh well, hopefully they won't remember in the future too much about her.

"Which house?" Bill asked immediately. "Mum and Dad were Gryffindors!"

"I was a Gryffindor too," she whispered to them. They all began to cheer, and Charlie claimed he knew she fit in with them all along. "Shh... it's a secret okay? No one but us can know."

The boys all nodded with solemn faces and wide eyes, as if being assigned an important task. Molly and Arthur watched fondly at the ease with which Hermione handled their kids.

"Hermione dear, please help yourself to seconds!"

"Oh no, Mrs. Weasley, I'm done," Hermione said with a smile.

"Molly," she corrected. "It makes me feel so old when you call me Mrs. Weasley! Besides, you eat so little," Molly grumbled. "I might start taking it personally."

"Your cooking is fantastic, Mrs. W- Molly," Hermione said. "I promise, I've had plenty!"

Molly eyed her skeptically; the girl hadn't eaten properly in days, and her rapid loss of weight was visible. Hermione's face was bordering on gaunt, and her complexion had taken on an unhealthy ashy tone. She spent so much of her time researching or just zoned out in contemplative silence that it interfered with her sleep.

"Mum, Hermione has so many books on Hogwarts!" Bill told them.

"Can I see?" Percy asked excitedly.

"Go ahead, they're in the living room," Hermione told them. With her permission, the boys ran off, excited to learn where they'd all be going to school.

Once they'd left, Hermione turned back to Arthur and Molly with anticipation. "Speaking of which, I was researching some more last night-"

"Spreading yourself much too thin if you ask me," Molly mumbled unhappily.

"And," Hermione continued sparing Molly a reassuring glance. "I think I might know what the last Horcrux is!"

"Really?" Arthur asked, intrigued.

"I knew it had to be something of Ravenclaw's because Voldemort had already used relics from Slytherin and Hufflepuff. I already know the Sword of Gryffindor wasn't a Horcrux, and I doubt he'd want to use something of Gryffindor's anyway. So I looked into Rowena's relics, and none seem to be as prestigious and valuable as her diadem."

"Hasn't that thing been lost since she died?" Arthur asked in confusion.

"As far as I know, yes," Hermione said, deflating in disappointment. "I was hoping to speak to Professor Dumbledore about it in case he might have any insight."

"Well you can ask him tonight," Molly told her. "The entire Order will be coming around for dinner."

"Oh..." Hermione said, suddenly distracted by the thoughts of the people she'd left behind a week ago. She knew she couldn't hide away from Lily and the Marauders forever, but she'd been avoiding thinking about it. Apparently tonight would be the night they'd be thrown together again. "Yes, that's a good idea," she finally responded to Molly's suggestion.

 **~o~o~o~**

It was around sundown when everyone started trickling in. The Longbottoms were one of the first ones there; apparently they had a strong connection with the Weasleys because they were both somewhat outcasts within the pureblood circles. Frank and Alice saw Hermione and gave her a wary look, nodding politely before turning their attention to a conversation with the Prewett twins.

Hermione kept herself occupied with the children, feeling much more welcome among them than anyone else in the order. Charlie had been asking her about dragons all day after she'd revealed her best friend had fought one once. Bill stayed loyally by Hermione's side, much like a protector, while the twins would stop by her periodically.

When Dumbledore made his entrance, Hermione excused herself from the Weasley boys, promising Bill and Charlie she'd return soon.

"Professor," Hermione greeted politely.

"Ahh Hermione," Dumbledore greeted. He held up a treacle tart from the table of baked goods he was eyeing. "Would you like one? Delicious little creations."

"I'm alright, thank you. Actually, I had some research I'd like to ask you about, Professor."

"Any developments?"

"Yes, actually," Hermione said excitedly. She told Dumbledore about her suspicions about Ravenclaw's diadem and he contemplated her theory quite seriously.

"I can ask around. If anyone would know anything useful on the matter, it would be someone at Hogwarts."

"But Professor," Hermione began confused. "No one alive has seen the diadem. It's been missing since Rowena's death."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Which is precisely why I plan on asking someone who's already dead."

Hermione turned an alarmed gaze on Dumbledore. "Sir, you can't use the Resurrection Stone until we destroy the ring, it's too dangerous!"

"While that's a good idea as well, I was actually planning on asking the resident ghosts at Hogwarts. Many of them have been around since the foundation of the school itself."

"Of course..." Hermione whispered, her eyes widening in realization. "That's brilliant."

"Actually Hermione, I was hoping to ask you for a favor," Dumbledore said, his tone becoming more serious. "I've looked into a few ways on how to destroy Horcruxes, and Alastor and I have concluded that under the circumstances the best way to go about it might be Fiendfyre."

Hermione nodded in agreement, knowing the Basilisk in the castle would still be alive in this time and the Sword of Gryffindor from her time, which was impregnated with venom, was lost in her old timeline.

"Alastor and I are both proficient at casting and controlling Fiendfyre, but we would like a third person since there are so many Horcruxes. Alastor has requested to take you under his tutelage so that you might join us when we finally dispose of them."

Hermione stared at Dumbledore in shock. "M-me? Shouldn't someone more... experienced be doing this? Maybe Kingsley? Or even the Prewett brothers?"

"While normally I would agree, I must say I support Alastor on his judgement. Casting Fiendfyre is simple enough for anyone to learn, it's controlling it that requires unparalleled focus. Kingsley and the Prewett brothers are valuable Aurors, but they lack the focus to learn how to control Fiendfyre as quickly as we need them to. And they have active duty to focus on."

Hermione nodded in determination. _She could do this._ "If Moody is willing to teach me, I will make sure I'm ready when the time comes."

"I was hoping you'd say that, Hermione," Dumbledore said with a benevolent smile.

From the corner of her eye, Hermione noticed Sirius and the Potters making their entrance. Lily looked absolutely radiant with her hair in a loose braid and wisps of hair falling around her face. Harry was propped on her hip and quite the social butterfly as he spun his words of gibberish for nearby friends. James looked at the two of them with such blatant adoration in his gaze that for a moment Hermione felt with absolute certainty that all her pain was worth the future she was fighting for.

But then her gaze moved on to Sirius, and it felt as if someone was squeezing her chest uncomfortably tightly. He was absolutely breathtaking, looking every bit the pureblood heir he was born to be. Wearing fitted black trousers and a coat in a deep indigo that almost appeared black if it weren't for the light catching it every now and then, Sirius Black looked elegant and poised.

Dumbledore cleared his throat gently, bringing her attention back to him. But as cognizant as he was, he didn't miss the pained and longing look in her eyes when she laid eyes on the Potters and their friend.

"Is everything alright Hermione?"

Hermione forced a smile to her face, nodding readily. "Of course, Professor! Even better now that the end is near."

"Is there something you wish to tell me?" He asked again, studying her with a look of sympathy and concern.

Hermione hesitated for a split second, debating whether to tell him she'd considered returning to her time. But already knowing she couldn't, she just shook her head. "No sir, nothing."

"Very well," he let the matter rest. "I will let Alastor know and he can start your training as soon as tomorrow. Have a good evening, Hermione."

Hermione watched Dumbledore leave, whisking through the crowds before disappearing out of the room. She turned just in time to be bombarded by Lily, who'd been anxiously making her way to Hermione.

"Hermione," she exclaimed, throwing her arms around her. "How are you?" She stepped back immediately, giving Hermione whiplash, and looked her up and down searching for any signs she wasn't okay.

"I'm alright, Lily, I swear. Molly takes great care of me."

"Of course," Lily sighed, letting out a breath of relief. "I'm so glad to see you, why haven't you visited or written?"

"It's only been a week," Hermione said evasively. "Besides I've been researching a lot."

"If you say so..."

Hermione watched Remus pass by near them and she felt a familiar warmth fill her.

"Remus!" she cried excitedly, waving at him. Remus looked towards her in surprise. He gave her a polite smile and a small wave before quickly continuing on his path to James, Sirius, and Peter.

Hermione dropped her hand in disappointment. Remus had always been so nurturing towards her, even as a professor. He always seemed to stand up for what he believed was right, and yet he could barely spare two words for her anymore.

Lily looked at her sympathetically before grabbing her hand, pulling her over towards their direction. "Come with me," she insisted.

"Lil, I really don't think that's the best-" but her protests were useless as Lily dragged her with her.

They finally got to the couches where the boys were all lounging. Lily perched on the arm of a chair next to James, giving them a stern look telling him ' _be nice.'_

"Hi everyone," Hermione said softly, looking specifically at Remus, who remained polite but still somehow distant.

"Who is this?" Peter asked curiously.

"Hermione Dumbledore," Remus answered when Hermione grew flustered by his question. "She's Dumbledore's niece."

"Yeah Peter, it's about time you met her! She's incredible with Harry," Lily gushed warmly.

"Oh," Peter said in surprise. "Well good! That boy needs some more females in his life, otherwise he might as well be adopted as an honorary Marauder right now."

Sirius smirked playfully. "Like that will stop him from following in our footsteps."

"Anyway, it's nice to meet you Hermione," Peter said with a casual grin.

"Likewise," Hermione said, slightly stiffly. Pettigrew was nothing like the man who'd transformed in the Shrieking Shack her third year. He looked smartly dressed and perfectly polite. Unlike Sirius and James, he seemed to mirror Remus' calm nature with a less driven aura.

Peter didn't seem to think much about her hesitance, and so he returned to his conversation with Remus, asking him about what he wanted to do since he was let off his position with the packs.

Hermione turned to James and Sirius, not really knowing what to say to them. She wasn't about to disclose any Horcrux related information this close to Peter so she settled on the one other topic they all had in common.

"Where's Harry?"

"He and Neville have been chasing after the Weasley children," James said shortly, not entirely rude but not inviting conversation either.

"I didn't realize he and Neville were this close," Hermione said with a fond smile. She remembered how different they were their first year, Neville being a shy boy just trying to keep his head low while Harry was always running head first into danger.

"Yes, I don't suppose you would." James said shortly. Hermione was caught off guard by the bite in his tone.

"Do you have a problem with me?" she asked in a low enough tone to prevent being overheard by Remus and Peter, who were still distracted by their own conversation.

James looked Hermione in the eye with a flash of annoyance. "You could be a bit nicer to Peter, don't you think?"

Hermione pursed her lips stubbornly. "You know my reasons for being careful-"

"Yes, but you've seen firsthand he's different from what you remember. Besides, is being polite and open minded so bloody hard to ask for?"

"Apparently so!" Hermione looked pointedly back at him.

"Then we don't have much to talk about," he said with finality, rising to go find Lily, who'd wandered off. Sirius gave her a short glance before following James, leaving Hermione feeling hollow.

"Oh Hermione dear," Molly cried out, making her way over to her. "Could you please keep an eye on Ginny while I set the table for dinner? Thank you, sweetheart!" She pushed a small bundle into Hermione's arms, which she accepted startled with very careful hands.

 _Ginny._ With small eyes that stayed closed, the small baby snoozing in Hermione's arms was an untouched, innocent bundle of beauty. Her deep red hair resembled that of Charlie and the Prewett brothers. Hermione cooed and gently rocked Ginny in her arms.

"You look like you're meant to be a mother," Lily commented, coming out of nowhere.

Hermione looked up startled. "I'm only 18," she insisted incredulously.

"So?" Lily said fondly. "I was only 19 when I got pregnant. The timeline for this stuff is a bit earlier in the Wizarding world."

"Still," Hermione insisted. "I'm wouldn't make much of a mother."

Before Lily could argue her case, Bill and Charlie came up to Hermione with pouting faces. "Hermione, you promised you'd come back to us!"

"I'm sorry boys," she responded indulgently. "Got held up."

Lily smiled at her knowingly.

"I'll help Molly set up, do you mind getting the children from the playroom upstairs? I think one of the Prewetts are keeping those devils busy."

Hermione nodded, eager to get away from the crowds. She followed the flight of stairs up, stopping when she heard whispered voices coming from the landing above. She heard a small chuckle come from a feminine voice.

"We're in public!" She insisted, scandalized.

"Oh please, you love this," a deep husky voice said cockily.

Hermione's heart plummeted. She recognized that voice in a heartbeat. _Sirius Black._ She held Ginny closer to her chest, stepping around the corner slightly to catch a glimpse of them. She wished she'd turned back around instead because what she saw shattered a part of her hope she didn't even realize she was holding onto. Sirius was all over her. Hermione didn't recognize her, but she was a gorgeous, curvy brunette. He had her up against the wall with her arms pinned above her head. The brunette's legs were wrapped around his waist and his lips were latched to hers.

"We should stop," she whispered against his lips.

"That's not what you said last night," he smirked, kissing her neck. "Or the night before that," he continued the journey down to her cleavage.

"But anyone could walk in on us," she whimpered against him, arching her chest into his face, making him chuckle.

"Let them," he insisted.

Hermione thought she was going to be sick. Before she could turn back around undetected, quick steps bound up the stairs behind her.

"Hermione!" Bill yelled up the stairs. "Did you get the kids? Mum said we're starting soon!"

Sirius and the brunette jerked away from each other at Bill's shout, looking startled upon seeing Hermione standing sheepishly near the landing. Sirius slowly let the woman's legs slide down his body and to the floor as he stepped away from her. The brunette blushed red, avoiding eye contact with Hermione from embarrassment.

Saving Hermione from an awkward encounter, Bill reached her side, slightly out of breath from his run up the stairs. "Oh, hi Sirius, hi Marlene," he greeted. "Come on Hermione, the playroom is another floor up," he said, quickly leading her upstairs with a hand that clutched at the edge of her cardigan. She followed wordlessly, avoiding Sirius' piercing gaze.

Hermione followed Bill into the playroom, her mind in a haze, but barely holding herself together with the thinnest of threads.

"Uncle Fabian!" Bill exclaimed. "Mum's calling us all down for dinner."

"Alright, you heard him you mangy lot," the tall redhead commanded playfully. "Down to dinner, all of you!"

Hermione stood near the doorway, trembling from earlier, clutching Ginny to herself. Her eyes blurred from unshed tears as she tried her hardest to pull herself together. But she couldn't help the pain she felt. She'd only been away a week. And yes, maybe her and Sirius had a difference of opinion on Peter. But she'd thought those moments they'd shared were special. Apparently not to him. While she'd practically torn herself apart over her growing feelings for the man, he apparently hadn't even seen her as anything more than a new flirtation.

"Hermione?" Bill asked in concern, looking up at her.

Fabian had already managed to send Charlie off with Neville, Fred, and George. It was just him, Bill, and Harry left now.

"Miss Gr-... Miss Dumbledore?" Fabian asked in concern, stepping closer. "Hermione?" He repeated more sternly.

He gently laid a hand on her shoulder, making her shudder in the effort to keep herself together. But the tears had already begun to form a steady stream down her cheeks, even though she managed to choke down her sobs. She seemed entirely unresponsive to their voices.

"Uncle Fab, what's wrong with her?" Bill demanded, extremely protective of Hermione.

"Okay buddy, I need you to do me a favor and take Harry downstairs. If anyone asks, tell them we'll be right along."

"No, I want to stay with Hermione," he insisted petulantly.

Fabian took a knee in front of his eldest nephew. "Hermione needs a moment, okay? She would hate to have others see her like this. I need you to hold down the fort down there so they don't come looking for her. She needs it."

Bill frowned adorably. "Okay," he accepted. "You'll take care of her right?"

Fabian ruffled Bill's hair reassuringly. "Of course I will."

When Bill left with Harry, Fabian approached Hermione slowly, contemplating whether to get her to sit down or get Ginny out of her arms for safety's sake.

"What happened?" he asked softly, only a few inches away from her.

Hermione's dilated eyes met his as she opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, unable to get the words out. Fabian took a hesitant step closer, raising his hands to hold her by her upper arms. Her whole body trembled again, and she lowered her head against his chest as she let out a low pained whine. Fabian's eyes stung with sympathy for the pain this young girl seemed to be burdened by.

"Hermione, you need to tell me what's wrong, sweetheart," he said soothingly, rubbing his hands up and down her upper arms comfortingly.

"I-I just w-want to go h-home," she managed to choke out.

Fabian felt helpless to tell her anything that would help, so he merely pulled her into a warm hug with a still sleeping Ginny tucked between them, soothing her until her trembling calmed and her tears dried out.

Eventually Hermione pulled away from him, keeping her gaze down. "I'm sorry about that," she offered, embarrassed by her outburst.

"You don't need to apologize for missing your home," Fabian insisted firmly, watching her in concern.

"I'm fine now," she insisted. "We should head down."

Before Hermione could turn away, Fabian stopped her briefly with a hand on her arm. "You know you can always talk to me right? I know the Order has been... difficult... since the Pettigrew situation. But Moody and Dumbledore still trust you, and that's enough for me."

"Thanks," she said. "But I'm okay, I must just be really tired," she insisted again.

"The offer stands regardless," he persisted, making sure she believed him.

Fabian followed Hermione to the dining room, guiding her with a hand hovering at the small of her back. Many Order members paused mid-conversation to note their entrance. Molly smiled at them, beckoning them over to the empty plates. Sirius watched with narrowed eyes as Fabian escorted the witch to her seat, his hand still hovering at her waist. He pulled out her chair for her and gently extracted Ginny from her arms, freeing her up to eat. Molly watched their interaction gleefully, happy that Hermione had finally found another ally among all the suspicion surrounding her. She always did underestimate her brothers.

While Molly and Sirius watched the interactions of the two new acquaintances, Lily kept a close eye on Hermione. She could see the hint of red rimming Hermione's eyes and wondered in concern what had happened. James had told her he'd been short with her. But that couldn't have been enough to make her cry. Studying the poor girl, she could confirm Molly's suspicions were true. Hermione looked pale and weak, and she wasn't regaining her health as she should've been with the care Molly was offering.

It was clear Hermione had lost the motivation to truly care for herself, and was only focused on the mission at this point. But stuck between her uncanny need to watch out for Hermione and her desire to support her husband in his choices, Lily had no idea how to truly help the girl.

* * *

 **How are you guys liking the story? Let me know what you think ^_^  
I'm trying to explore some more dynamics with the Prewett twins and hopefully bring Snape into the swing of things soon. Bunch of curve balls ahead, so buckle in! **

**~Mischief Managed**


	12. Delayed Timelines

**CHAPTER TWELVE: DELAYED TIMELINES**

 **~ November 30, 1981**

In the following few weeks Hermione found a schedule for herself, which proved to be a salvation for her more pragmatic mind. Every other day she'd train with Moody, and their sessions had gone beyond Fiendfyre as he'd begun to teach her more advanced defensive and survival spells.

Part of her wondered if she'd known them on the run, would she have been able to protect Harry and Ron better? Would they have survived? Part of her felt guilty for being so reckless at the time. They were barely adults, yet they'd taken the weight of the world on their shoulders; she should've made sure they had help. Remus, or Kingsley, or anyone really. Despite the few weeks it had been since her life fell apart, she felt years older. While she'd never really felt like a child her age with all the problems they'd had to face, Hermione couldn't help but mourn for that part of her life.

They still had weekly Order meetings or dinners, and everyone would gather together each time. Remus still maintained his cordial friendliness but wouldn't seek her out anymore, which Hermione learned to stop taking personally. She made small talk with him every now and then, but never pushed it. Instead she chose to remember Remus from the interactions she'd had with him in her time. Regardless, she couldn't help but notice he seemed too haggard around the time of the full moon. When she finally realized in horror that the Wolfsbane potion hadn't been created yet and Remus was still enduring the full moons the hard way, she made a note to herself to brew it for him for the next cycle.

James stopped snapping at her and was perfectly polite, which Hermione suspected had been Lily's doing. It puzzled Hermione how he was so warm and playful with everyone else, acting every bit the cocky jokester people remembered him as, but with her would recede into a guarded shell. He was never cruel, but she could still tell he was wary of her.

Not that she made any compromises to win them over. Once over the weekly dinners, Peter had approached her from across the room after Lily said something to him. He asked whether she'd like to join them as she was just sitting by herself near the fireplace with Ron snoozing in her arms, and she'd bluntly said 'no, thank you,' turning away to ignore him. Ever since then Peter had approached her a few times on his own accord, trying to break through her shell. If he were any other person, she probably would've been receptive to him because he asked her about current events and cracked jokes about some of the dynamics between other Order members, trying to make her feel more welcome. But each time she'd just give him a half-hearted smile and quickly make some excuse to walk away from him. While Peter's efforts did nothing to change Hermione's attitude, they only further convinced the Marauders that they were doing the right thing giving him a chance.

During that time, Fabian and eventually his brother Gideon proved to be a good company. Anytime they'd see her glazed off in a corner with Harry, Ron, or Ginny, they'd immediately come cheer her up. They didn't try to become her friend per say, but much like George and Fred had done in her time, they did their best to put a smile on her face every now and then.

Sirius for the most part followed James' lead, treating Hermione amicably but steering out of her way. She found herself watching him sometimes, but his gaze wouldn't so much as wander in her direction.

During one of their dinners, Hermione offered to go do the dishes, which Molly had only allowed once she promised to use magic. She was right at the threshold of the kitchen when she heard voices coming from the kitchen. She would've kept going if she hadn't heard her name being mentioned.

"-quite reclusive isn't she?" someone asked curiously. "I almost thought she was the Weasley's nanny, to be honest."

"Hermione is Dumbledore's niece, Marlene," Lily said sternly. "And she's really a very nice girl."

"Lily, Marlene wasn't at the announcement meeting remember?" Alice Longbottom spoke up. "Besides can you blame her for thinking it? She is reclusive. I almost wonder if it's healthy for a person to be talking to Dumbledore and Moody as much as she does."

"Like you're helping her spread her wings," Lily said pointedly.

"Guys... am I missing something?" Marlene asked confused. There was an underlying tension between the two friends over Hermione and she could see no obvious reason why.

"No," the other women answered immediately, forgetting the secrecy of their knowledge for a moment.

"Well she has to be somewhat decent," Marlene said honestly. "She caught me and Sirius upstairs a few weeks back and Molly hasn't hexed us yet, so she must've kept it private."

Lily inhaled sharply at the new information. "She caught you and Sirius doing what exactly?"

"We might've been back together these past few weeks..." she said sheepishly.

"Marlene-" Lily started exasperatedly.

"Eeep!" Alice squealed. "It was about time you two got back together! You should just get married already!"

Hermione was shocked at Alice's words, but had trained herself to be indifferent on the matter.

"Sirius isn't-"

"You can't tell me you don't see it Lils," Alice insisted. "Out of all the women he's been distracted by, Marlene is the one woman Sirius keeps coming back to! It's inevitable!"

"It has been different lately too," Marlene said with excitement. "He's been... I'm not sure how to describe it? More charged lately? More raw? He's never been like this before."

Hermione sighed internally, turning around to leave. But she ran straight into the warm torso of someone at least a full head taller than her. Strong arms steadied her instantly and she peered up to see the sapphire eyes of Fabian Weasley peering at her in concern. She gave him a small smile, shrugging her indifference at their gossip. Not entirely convinced, he lightly tucked a loose curl behind her ear, taking the opportunity to study her eyes for any lies. She caught his hand, giving it a small reassuring squeeze before stepping away from him.

After the night she'd broken down in his arms in the children's playroom, she'd spent that entire night rewiring her brain and attitude. The way she saw it, she had a task to complete. People hating her at Hogwarts never stopped her from getting her education, and the stakes were much higher now. She'd do what she had to and stay out of the way of those who didn't want her. There wasn't much to wallow over in her philosophy. It's not like she was close friends with any of these people in her earlier life, she'd just latched onto them because they'd been familiar and closest to her age. Once she'd managed to convince herself the logic of that, she was easily able to let them go without fear. Granted, she was still lonely and it was really hard some days, and she wasn't foolish enough to try and convince herself otherwise. But she'd stopped being so hurt by the Marauders, because when she really thought about it, she didn't really know them.

Fabian gave her a slight grin once he'd been convinced she was okay. They both turned, ready to sneak away unnoticed when they saw Sirius standing at the end of the hall watching them critically with stormy eyes. His gaze flicked back and forth between the two, raising an eyebrow in question when his eyes met Hermione's. She turned her nose up slightly at him as she walked past him with Fabian not far behind her; she sure as hell didn't owe him any explanations.

In the next ten minutes, Hermione had bid everyone goodnight, heading upstairs to retire for the evening. She had training early in the morning and she'd learned early on to be well rested for those. Her room was on the highest floor of the Burrow, giving her the utmost privacy and was beyond the earshot of the buzzing people downstairs.

She'd barely taken three steps down the hall leading to her room when she felt herself being jerked back sharply. Her instincts kicked in within a split second and she already had her wand slipping into her hand from the holster within her sleeve when the person turned her, pushing her against the banister of the staircase. Bringing her wand up strongly, she pressed the tip straight into their jugular, looking up angrily into equally irritated steel eyes.

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise for a split second before she hardened her resolve.

"I suggest you let go of me, Sirius," she said in a calm voice.

"You're the one with a wand at my throat," he said, slightly impressed but just as annoyed.

"That should teach you to not sneak up on me."

He slowly let her go, stepping back from her cautiously. Hermione slipped her wand back into its hiding place, straightening out her sweater. Sirius watched her with a grim gaze, not saying anything.

"Well? I assume you didn't follow me all the way up here for nothing?"

"What are you playing at with Prewett?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes indignantly. "Fabian has been a good friend to me, not that it's any of your business."

"He's a charmer, I wouldn't get too invested-"

"Oh that's rich coming from you," Hermione laughed. "Besides, I've already told you. He's a friend. I don't have too many of those left thanks to you, so I'm not really looking to be picky."

"What do you mean thanks to me? I haven't told anyone to stay away from you."

"Not directly no, but you might as well have because the others are alienating me from the doubt you've fueled."

"I won't apologize for voicing my honest concerns about your unhealthy opposition to Peter, but I'm not keeping them from befriending you." Sirius told her in a level voice.

Hermione looked at him pitifully. "Okay," she said running with it for a second. "James is probably just as convinced in Pettigrew's innocence as you are. Maybe Lily isn't awkwardly trying to push us all together at every meeting because you all can't seem to stand my presence. Maybe Remus isn't scared of losing you and James like my version of the future indicated he would, maybe he honestly just lost interest in being friends with me after that night. Maybe it's not me entering a room that causes groups of you to go silent every now and then."

Sirius' eyes sheepishly softened with guilt the deeper Hermione got into her rant. "I never said I can't stand your presence," he said softly.

"Sirius, please. I know you're not stupid." Hermione said irritated. "Over half the Order doesn't even know the truth of what happened- or more accurately what didn't. But they get their cues from you, James, Alice, Frank, and sometimes even Kingsley because they see you're all wary of me."

"Hermione, I'm not trying to alienate you. We already know you've been right about the Horcruxes, no denying that. But Peter is like our brother. And we can't abandon him for hypothetically revealing sensitive information under torture or threat of death. Besides, he didn't do it, so the point is irrelevant."

"We're just talking in circles," Hermione yelled, getting annoyed.

"Well at least Peter has tried to win your trust! He tries to talk to you all the time! You're the one who's been rude!"

"I'm not here to make friends, and certainly not with Pettigrew!"

"Then why the bloody hell are you following after Prewett like a lovesick puppy?" He roared.

Hermione almost growled at his childish petulance, but forced herself to take a deep breath, pulling her outbursts of emotion back in until she was again a mask of calm. "I'm not the dog here, Sirius."

She walked towards her room, leaving him staring in confused shock for a split second before he was after her once again. Before he could fully wrap his fingers around her arm again, she turned swiftly, knocking him backwards a few steps with a mild repelling charm.

"We have nothing left to discuss," she said firmly, quickly withdrawing to her room and warding the door before he could regain his senses.

 **~o~o~o~**

 **~ December 1, 1981**

Moody worked her to the bone the next morning. They'd been practicing wandless magic and defense, and Hermione had ended up on her arse more often than not that practice. By the end of their session, she'd successfully managed to conjure steady shields against Moody's strongest stunning spells.

When she finally packed up her things, Moody walked over to her, clearing his throat gruffly.

"Good work, kid."

Hermione looked up at him in shock. "Is that a compliment? Didn't you taunt me earlier for not even being able to summon long distances wandlessly?"

"My most skilled Aurors took weeks to be able to summon from long distances. Even the best of them can't wandlessly block one of stunning spells, much less one at full force."

Hermione grinned at him, realizing the resident grouch wasn't as tough as he portrayed. "Thank you, Moody."

Hermione had just been about to apparate back to the Burrow when Dumbledore stepped through the fireplace with the Prewett twins at his heels.

"Hermione!" They both exclaimed in greeting.

"Fabian, Gideon," she greeted with a smile.

"What's going on?" Moody asked Dumbledore.

"The Prewetts have an assignment tonight, I was just bringing them to you so we can debrief them."

"Alone?" Hermione asked in alarm.

"It's simply a scouting assignment, it should be a quick in and out," Dumbledore assured.

"Still," Hermione insisted, "They shouldn't be going alone. We can't risk it."

Moody looked at her confused. "Didn't they fall in battle before the end of October in your time?"

"Well... yes, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be cautious. They're valuable Order members, and sending only two people is risky!"

"We'll be fine, love," Gideon assured her warmly.

"Let me go with them," she pleaded with Dumbledore. He looked hesitant, but she wouldn't let the matter drop. "If it's simply a quick scouting mission, I shouldn't be in any danger and they'd have back up just in case!"

After a brief moment, Dumbledore nodded his acceptance. Moody grumbled his disagreement, but briefed them on the mission anyway. They were supposed to visit Nott Manor- their sources had picked up chatter on possible movement there.

They'd been about to apparate away when Moody stopped them. He slipped a necklace around Hermione's neck.

"A Portkey?" She asked confused.

"It'll bring you straight back to headquarters in the case of an emergency," Moody said.

"Why don't they have one?" Hermione asked, gesturing to Fabian and Gideon.

"No offense love," Gideon said with a grin. "But we're fully seasoned Aurors."

"Fair enough," Hermione accepted easily. She knew her shortcomings.

 **~o~o~o~**

 **~ 5 hours later... Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix**

"They should've been back by now!" Molly exclaimed with worry.

The inner circle of the Order- everyone Hermione had gathered for the meeting on Horcruxes- was gathered at Headquarters. The Prewetts and Hermione should've returned an hour ago, but they had yet to come back.

James, Sirius, and Frank had wanted to bring Peter but were strictly denied upon Dumbledore's orders. They all waited tensely, not sure how to proceed.

Molly was on the verge of hysteria, insisting they do something and that it had been long enough. Before they could try and calm her, a deep whirling sound filled the room and a lump appeared to materialize in the sky and dropped to the floor. Everyone gathered around, wands drawn. Collapsed before them were two redheads, one looking extremely haggard with a deep purple bruising creeping out the edge of his collar, and the other with his torso soaked in blood.

"Fabian!" Molly yelled, rushing to his side. Remus knelt next to her along with Lily, and they worked together to stop the bleeding.

"What happened?" Moody demanded, turning on Gideon.

"It was an ambush," Gideon gasped in wheezing pain. "We were cornered... They'd set up anti-apparition wards around the entire property. HERMIONE! She gave us her Portkey, forced me to bring Fabian back, and she tried to buy us time to safely get away."

"You left her there?" Sirius roared eyes blazing. "We have to get her, now!"

"Fabian and I were fighting five death eaters, and Hermione was dueling another three. She saw we were wand locked, and she lost it." Gideon said in awe as he recollected the memory. "Set a blast so strong, it knocked out her attackers."

"But?" James implored.

"But then Fabian got hit by one of our five and knocked out immediately, and it was just me and Hermione. I think we could've taken them, especially at the rate she was going. But then I was hit and knocked down, and she shoved the Portkey into my hand and told me to get Fabian to safety because he was bleeding out too fast."

"You couldn't just grab her on your way?" Lily cried.

"I was practically paralyzed when she put it around my neck and activated it!" Gideon yelled. "Besides, since when are you lot so concerned about her?"

"Just because we disagree on how to handle Peter doesn't mean we don't care about her safety," Remus said irritated.

"Well if there are anti-apparition wards up, we have to send a rescue team," James insisted. Sirius, Lily, and Remus all nodded in agreement.

"There's no doubting she saved us," Gideon said. "She was single handedly holding off all five attacks while the Portkey activated."

Before they could begin planning, once again, they were startled so suddenly they all had their wands drawn. Leaning against the living room threshold stood a bruised and haggard Hermione, coughing up a trickle of blood.

"Hermione!" Lily rushed forward, immediately escorting her to the couch.

Hermione's eyes searched for Fabian and Gideon in panic, not even paying mind to Lily who was murmuring diagnostic and mild healing spells over her visible wounds. She stopped in shock when she saw Fabian unconscious and bloody. "Is he...?"

"He's alive, dear. Thanks to you," Molly whispered tearfully.

"What happened?" Dumbledore implored seriously.

"We were attacked," Hermione said in a daze, recounting a similar story to Gideon's.

"How in the world were you able to fend off five death eaters alone?" Minerva asked in wonder.

"I-I don't know. I think it was Harry's magic that gave me extra strength."

"Harry?" James asked startled.

"The Harry from her time," Lily specified. "His magic merged around her core before sending her to this time, and it's been there since."

"Incredible," Dumbledore whispered to himself. The other Order members seemed shocked by the new revelation; there was virtually no previous account of magic ever behaving that way. The only way magical cores ever even remotely merged was in cases of marriage, and even then after a complex ceremony and ritual.

"Extra magic or not, that was reckless," Sirius said sternly, kneeling in front of her and looking over her worriedly. "Don't ever risk your life like that again, you're too valuable to the Order."

"Yeah Hermione, we were about to send out the cavalry for you," James insisted.

A part of Hermione felt touched at their concern, but she knew better than to read into it too much. They were all Gryffindors to boot, of course they wouldn't want her to die. "I did what I had to in order to save them, and I'd do it again."

"How'd you get out of the anti-apparition zone?" Kingsley asked.

"I'm not sure," Hermione sighed exhaustedly. "I think my magic just broke through it?"

"Just... broke... through it?" Moody asked incredulously. Everyone stared at her in shock, as if just understanding the full extent of her power.

Hermione broke into wheezing coughs, hacking up more blood. Sirius was instantly at her side, holding her steady through her violent outburst, rubbing her shoulders comfortingly.

"But it happened exactly as before," Hermione emphasized to them all in a hoarse voice.

"What did?" Arthur asked.

"The attack on the Prewetts. They were sent on a seemingly low stakes mission, they were ambushed. They were even wand locked with five death eaters! The relevant details are all the same! The only difference this time is I was around and had the portkey that got them out of there!"

"You're saying this was the attack that in your timeline should've taken place over a month ago?" Lily asked in growing horror.

"Exactly," Hermione stressed. "Meaning the events I remember from my timeline aren't false or completely altered. They just seem... delayed."

Sirius immediately stiffened next to her, withdrawing his supportive arms. The implications of her theory just hit him. Part of Hermione wanted to scoff; she'd known it would come to this again.

"What are you trying to say, Miss Granger?" Frank asked with a tremble in his voice.

"I'm saying Pettigrew might turn out to be a traitor yet, and you all need to take precautions to catch him in the act!"

"Not again," Frank mumbled.

"The Prewetts were sent in to get slaughtered tonight! It's too similar to my timeline for it to be coincidence!"

"Hermione, even you have to admit they're not the same situation," Sirius pleaded. "We're Order members- fighting Death Eaters is in the job description. And yes, maybe the Prewetts' confrontation with the death eaters was eerily similar to what your history recalls, so maybe it was delayed. But that doesn't mean Peter's has been too. He was offered the role of secret keeper and he didn't betray us when he had the perfect chance. Besides, it's not like he's secret keeper anymore."

"But that doesn't mean-"

"Will you please give it a rest?" James cried out. "Peter is a part of the Order, has been much longer than you. He's already proved he didn't betray us in this timeline, even given the opportunity. He doesn't have the dark mark either."

"You all know better than to think every supporter of Voldemort is marked," Hermione said firmly.

"Look Hermione," James sighed tiredly. "I'm not saying your past is wrong, or that you're lying. But things have changed, time has changed. All the evidence supports it, does it not?"

"Things are not always as they appear," Hermione said softly.

"What would you do?" Remus asked quietly. "If some stranger fell into your time and told you one of your best friends leads your other best friends to their slaughter?"

Hermione fell silent, opening and closing her mouth but unable to respond. She'd always known why they were so hesitant to believe her, why they so adamantly defended Peter. She wasn't so narrow minded that she thought them stupid for defending their friend despite her warnings; the truth she told was a hard pill to swallow- especially given Peter hadn't done anything suspicious yet even when she'd claimed he already would have. They hadn't seen her memories of the Shrieking Shack because she'd wanted to spare them the pain of seeing such a future.

"I'm just trying to help you people fight for your futures," Hermione said quietly.

Sirius and James both opened their mouths to give a rebuttal but Hermione raised her hand, stopping them.

"But I won't force it on you. You're capable of making your own choices, I simply hope you can live with the consequences."

Hermione stood shakily from the couch, trying to head upstairs to get some rest. She could hear Gideon defend her indignantly from the living room, chastising everyone for not even trying to understand her struggles.

Hermione just felt so incredibly tired from exertion, she could feel the room start spinning around her. Before she could make it to the first landing, her vision went black and her feet fell out from under her, sending her tumbling down the flight of stairs.

Upon hearing the dull thud of Hermione's fall, everyone rushed to the hall to find Hermione collapsed at the bottom of the stairs, a small trail of blood escaping her mouth.

 **~o~o~o~**

 **Just wanted to thank everyone for their amazing feedback and support! You're making writing this story even more fun!**

 **It appears most people are in agreement about Sirius having some serious making up to do in order to ever deserve Hermione. Many of you even prefer Fabian with Hermione. So here's my question of the chapter. Who do you prefer with Hermione? And what do you think Sirius would need to do in order to earn Hermione's forgiveness? Send me your wildest theories ^_^**

 **~Mischief Managed**


	13. Remaining Allies

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN: REMAINING ALLIES**

Dangerous levels of magical depletion. That was what Moody and Lily had determined happened to her. Apparently breaking through the anti-apparition wards drained her magic, even with the added strength from Harry. So Hermione was officially on strict rest at the Burrow. The only problem with that? It had already been three days and she was going stir crazy.

The kids were all running amok, even more than usual for some reason. Hermione had decided to look into the Basilisk at Hogwarts as a possibility for destroying the Horcruxes. Fiendfyre was draining and it was best to have a backup option. But she could not focus for the life of her, which was saying something because she'd learned to block out the hectic shenanigans of all the Weasley children when they were fully grown adults.

"Molly, I'm going to go work at headquarters! I'll be back by dinner time!"

"Oh dear, but Moody said to keep you rested," Molly fussed.

"I promise I'll take it easy. I just need to concentrate."

"Very well, dear. Just come back to eat later!"

 _ **~o~o~o~**_

 **~ Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix**

Unknown to Hermione, she wasn't the only one who'd thought to use Headquarters as a safe haven of sorts. When she'd come through the Floo, her first thought was to spread out all of her materials on the kitchen table like pieces of a puzzle.

To her surprise, she found Remus standing tensely over the sink, his hands gripping the counter tightly to the point of his knuckles turning pale. His head was lowered and he took heavy breaths, and he looked as if a single touch would shatter him into a thousand pieces.

"Remus...?" Hermione whispered quietly, much like she had that night in front of the Shrieking Shack right after he'd transformed.

He didn't turn but she could tell from the slight tilt of his head that he'd heard her.

"Are you okay?" She asked again.

"Why... are you... here?" He asked in a guttural voice that wasn't at all familiar.

"I had some work to do, I just wanted a quiet place," she said. If she'd expected a response she was sorely disappointed.

She stepped towards him, reaching for his shoulder hesitantly. "Remus, is everything-"

She'd barely laid her hand on him when he turned to her in inhuman speed, his usually amber eyes flashing a bright molten gold that had realization sinking into her stomach. He caught her outstretched wrist tightly while his other hand came up to wrap around her throat, holding her against the cabinets behind her in a warning stance.

Hermione stayed perfectly still, focusing on taking shallow breaths to not make him tighten his hold on her throat.

"Remus it's me-"

"You DON'T get to talk to me," he warned in the same guttural voice. "You don't get to come threaten my _pack_."

"I'm not-"

"My. Pack." He growled lowly. "Stay. Away."

"Rem-"

His hold on her wrist tightened warningly, crushing her bones together uncomfortably. "Wormtail is my friend, so stay away."

Understanding floored Hermione. She reached her free hand out to cup his cheek, wincing when he tightened his fingers around her throat by a miniscule.

"Moony," she whispered. His eyes snapped to hers, as if finally seeing Hermione. "It's me, Hermione. I'm your friend, remember?"

His eyes flashed back and forth between golden and amber. For a split second, his fingers tightened painfully on Hermione's throat, cutting off her air supply, before Remus jerked himself away from her. Hermione started coughing the second his fingers left her throat.

Remus stared at her in horror, backing away from her hesitantly.

"Hermione- I'm sorry, I didn't- I don't-"

"It's okay," Hermione assured, taking a deep breath. "It's my fault, I forgot tonight was the full moon."

"Even still," Remus argued, disgusted with himself.

"No- stop. I won't have you apologizing for something you have no control over."

"I didn't think anyone would be here," he whispered quietly.

"It's okay," Hermione repeated, giving him a reassuring smile. "I've seen you in full wolf form, this wasn't a big deal."

"You what?" He blanched, turning pale at the thought of this small slip of a girl facing his wolf.

"It was an accident. Besides, I was fine then, and I'm fine now."

"I'm really so-" Remus cut himself off at the warning glance Hermione gave him. "-so glad you're okay."

She nodded in approval before rubbing her palm gingerly over her throat. "Yeah, me too." She glanced at him hesitantly before asking the question she knew he didn't want to hear. "I didn't realize you felt so strongly about Peter's innocence."

Remus' eyes lowered to the floor guiltily. "That was Moony, not m-"

"Remus Lupin, you know you and the wolf are essentially one and the same," Hermione reprimanded.

He winced at her statement. "What do you want me to say, Hermione?" His voice rose in frustration as he brushed his fingers through his hair distractedly. "That I want him to be innocent? I do! That I'm scared of losing him and with him the only friends who've ever truly accepted all of me? I am! So what exactly is it that you want from me?!"

Hermione watched Remus' outburst sadly. "They're not the only people who truly accept you. I know you're not used to it, but so many people see beyond your condition."

"Maybe," he admitted. "But he's one of three people- brothers really- who became a bloody Animagi just so I wouldn't be lonely on the full moons! That's really special, and nothing you say would convince me otherwise."

"It is special," Hermione agreed. "But Remus, that was years ago. A lot can change."

He smiled at her sadly. "You don't know him like I do. Did you know he used to spend the days leading up to the full moon with me to help keep me distracted? At first they all did, but then we got older and James was distracted chasing after Lily and Sirius by anyone in a skirt. But Peter would make sure I was never alone too long around that time no matter how old we got."

"Yes, but you three were his only close friends. If Sirius and James were busy, he'd naturally gravitate towards you."

"Where'd you hear that?" He asked quizzically. "Peter was actually pretty close to Frank and some people in the other houses. Sometimes the pranks and shenanigans were a bit much for him, he was always a bit less trouble seeking than Sirius and James."

"And you?"

"Well someone had to stay and keep them in line. Peter was even more doubtful they'd listen to him than I was at the time."

"Remus, you won't lose James and Sirius even if Pettigrew isn't who you thought."

"You still don't get it, do you?" He asked sadly.

"Get what?"

"James and Sirius may be hotheaded and reckless, but they're anything but stupid."

"I know that-"

"Then why do you think they're not hearing your warnings?"

"Because they aren't! They refuse to hear any possibility that Pettigrew is a traitor, and they're constantly guarded around me!"

"It's not that they think you're entirely wrong, they're scared you might be right."

"How does that work?" Hermione steamed in annoyance.

"The reason they're so guarded is because they're scared you're right. Even despite Peter not betraying them like your timeline indicating he already would have and his not having a dark mark, they're terrified that somehow your version of the future will still come to pass."

"Then why be guarded against me? I'm trying to protect their future! I gave up my future to give them a better one!"

"Because if you're right, then James and Lily will most likely die and our best mate turns into a traitor."

Hermione pursed her lips in frustration. As much as she hated it, she understood what Remus was trying to tell her.

"They don't hate you, Hermione. They just don't _want_ you to be right. They're a stubborn pair, and they'll fight tooth and nail if they think supporting Peter right now will somehow lessen the pressure that eventually turned him to Voldemort in your time."

"It's not just James and Lily's lives at stake, it's Harry's too," Hermione argued.

"They know that, Hermione. _Especially_ James."

"He doesn't act like it," Hermione mumbled.

"Don't underestimate him. Lily and Harry are the most precious thing in the world to James. He spent literally all of Hogwarts pining after Lily. He understands the gravity of their lives."

"Then why-"

"Don't assume they don't have their guard up against Peter," Remus said firmly. "Just because you don't see it and they're not public about it doesn't mean they haven't taken your warnings into consideration."

Hermione sighed, feeling really tired of all the mixed signals and loyalties.

"I never thought I'd be arguing with Harry's parents about how best to protect his future, you know?" Hermione scoffed at herself, weeks of pent up emotion breaking through. "Especially when I don't even get to be a part of that future anymore."

Remus' eyes softened on her before he stepped forward, hesitantly pulling her into a warm hug. Hermione followed easily, melting into his comforting embrace. She buried her face into his shoulder, trying to stem the tears of frustration filling her eyes.

"As for me, you were right," Remus continued. "I _am_ scared of losing James and Sirius, and even more scared that the future you spoke of still might come true. I don't think I could survive in the world without them, you know? But still, it shouldn't have been my excuse to keep you at arm's length..."

Hermione nodded jerkily, not trusting her voice at the moment.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," he whispered, smoothing down her hair and rubbing his hand up and down her back soothingly.

When Hermione finally trusted her hold on her emotions, she pulled away from Remus, keeping her eyes fixed on the buttons on his shirt.

"It's okay," she said easily. "Your friendship with the Marauders is like mine with Harry and Ron. You'd support them even if they weren't right, because you're loyal."

"It's not okay," he insisted, tilting her face up with a gentle finger under her chin. "Yes, they deserve my loyalty, and they have it. But being your friend doesn't make me disloyal."

Hermione smiled weakly. "Glad to hear someone would care if something happened to me."

Remus' eyes narrowed in seriousness. "We all care if you're okay."

"I- "

"No really Hermione, it might seem like everyone is hesitant to open up to you, but they'd still fight to the death to defend your life. James wasn't kidding when he said we were about to send the cavalry after you when you sent the Prewett twins back alone."

"Of course you would," Hermione said instantly. "You're all Gryffindors, it's in your nature. You'd defend my life, but you won't listen to me."

"Can't we just call a truce?" Remus asked wearily. "We ignore the elephant in the room for the time being and just be friends?"

"But what if he betrays you?"

"He's not secret keeper anymore, he can't. Besides, I doubt the others would believe he's truly a traitor unless he does something compromising. I don't think I can believe it in good conscious either."

"Fine." Hermione allowed in annoyance. "We can ignore the elephant in the room."

"Great," he sighed, slumping down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table and messaging his temples.

"Are you alright?" Hermione finally asked, concern overpowering her annoyance.

"It's just the effects of the full moon tonight, they're like symptoms."

"Oh! Speaking of the full moon, I actually know something that might help with that."

Remus looked at her questioningly. "What is it?"

"It's called the Wolfsbane potion. It allows you to keep your human mind in control during the full moon, and you'll remember your transformations."

"What?" Remus whispered in awe.

"I'm not sure if it actually helps with the pain of the transformation, the book didn't specify and you'd never told me. You did say it actually tastes quite awful though, so that won't be fun," Hermione rambled on, trying to fill the silence.

"Hermione!" Remus interrupted in enthusiasm. "This is a miracle; can you make the potion?"

"I've only made it a few times, and under guidance, but I'm sure I could manage," she pondered aloud.

Remus charged at her, sweeping her into a crushing hug and spinning her with a bark of laughter. "I can't tell you how much that would mean to me, _thank you._ "

"Of course," she said happily. "The potion isn't invented for another few years, but as long as I already have it, I didn't see the need in making you suffer without it. Is there a potions lab in this house?"

"Yes, the basement!" Remus said in growing anticipation. "Dumbledore had it put in for brewing stocks of healing potions for the Order."

 _ **~o~o~o~**_

 **~ Potter Cottage**

"Can't you just give her a break? You two have honestly been impossible," Lily lectured her husband and his best mate.

"We're not mean to her," James defended.

Lily shot him a silencing glare. "You think she's not sharp enough to notice the stark difference in the way you treat her versus anyone else? Being elusive is not like you, James. She knows it too."

James dropped his head in shame and Sirius smartly kept his mouth shut. But that didn't stop Lily from turning her heated glare on him.

"Sirius you're no better. What did I tell you? Don't start something you couldn't see through, especially with her. I thought you said you cared about her?"

Sirius turned a defiant eye to Lily. "I _do_ care about her-"

"Oh bollocks," spit Lily, making James' jaw drop in shock. "I know you're sleeping with Marlene again, don't deny it."

Sirius ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Yeah, so? We're just sleeping together, you know her and I were never anything more than casual bed partners."

Lily almost growled in frustration. "Well not everyone is as technical as separating emotion from intimacy as you are. I know Hermione saw you two. For Godric's sake, Sirius, what the bloody hell were you thinking?"

"What do you want Lily?" Sirius shouted back, equally frustrated. "I tried talking to her, but she can't see past the fact that we want to believe the best in Peter. I won't put the rest of my life on hold for it either."

"Is it so bad that we listen to her?" Lily said quietly.

"Lily-" James began hesitantly.

"Would it be so wrong?" Lily continued over James. "Have you thought about what if she is right? This is our lives on the line. Harry's life."

"You think I don't know that?" Pleaded James.

"Then why are you as unwilling to compromise as she is?" Lily yelled.

"Peter hasn't actually done anything suspicious yet, Lily," Sirius reasoned. "We've been keeping a close eye, but his life has been just as uneventful as ever."

"Then can't you work with her?" Lily asked, as if it were the most obvious thing ever. "Work with her to keep surveillance on Peter, she can help you. Then she'll know we're actually listening to her, and if he's not a traitor she'll have to face the evidence."

"It's not about us just asking her, Lily," Sirius said. "Hermione is dead set against Peter, she's too biased."

"Or maybe you two are too close to the situation to see any subtle breaks in pattern," she argued.

"Lily, I would trust her with Harry's life." James said honestly. "I would trust her with your life. But Sirius is right, she's too biased against Pete, we can't trust her when it comes to being impartial about him."

"Well I trust her," Lily said adamantly. "If she's being stubborn, maybe it's because she has reason to be."

The Floo roared to life just as James opened his mouth. Remus strode towards them grinning ear to ear, pulling Hermione behind him by her wrist.

"You won't believe what this witch managed to do," he said excitedly, explaining the Wolfsbane potion to them.

"How is that possible?" James asked dazed. "We looked for years, there was never anything..."

"It's from the future," Hermione said modestly. "I didn't do much other than brew a fully perfected recipe."

"Well thanks for looking out for Moony," Sirius said, still partially in awe.

"Hermione, keep me company tonight," Lily insisted. "The boys are heading out for the full moon, it'd be nice not to be alone."

Hermione glanced at James and Sirius, who seemed as neutral as they'd been before the whole Pettigrew fiasco. "Sure," Hermione said hesitantly. "I'll stay as long as you want me."

The boys were in the kitchen, subtly watching Hermione and Lily with Harry in the living room. Harry was giggling joyfully in Lily's lap as Hermione made paper birds circle him with a lazy twirl of her finger.

"I never want to lose that," James said wistfully, his eyes on his wife and son.

"You won't." Sirius said firmly.

"But I don't want to lose the Marauders either, is that too selfish?"

"We're not going anywhere, mate," Remus said with a hand on his shoulder.

"What if she's right about Peter?"

Remus and Sirius exchanged a grim look. "Then we deal with it," Sirius said coldly. "But so far, there's been no actual indication he's betrayed us."

"Right, right," James muttered. "We haven't been too hard on her, have we?" He asked in delayed regret, his gaze jumping to Hermione.

"Probably," Remus said, watching Hermione's smile with a fond look. "She gave up everything to tell us the truth. But we treated her like she was lying."

The Floo roared to life once again as the Longbottoms made their way into their living room.

"Why are they here?" Remus asked quizzically.

"Oh, Alice asked Lily to babysit Neville tonight," James filled them in.

 _"I thought you'd be alone tonight,"_ they could hear Alice say in a tight voice.

The boys all made their way back to the living room, slightly concerned by the tension they could hear in their conversation.

"Hermione stopped by and I asked her to keep me company," Lily said confused.

Alice tightened her hold on Neville, shifting him to the other side of her hip and Frank shifted behind her uncomfortably.

"Is something wrong?" James interjected, standing behind where Lily was perched, placing his hands on her shoulders in support.

Their eyes flickered hesitantly to Hermione before going back to the Potters. Franks rubbed his neck with a grimace. "We'd just prefer if it were only you we leave Neville with, is all."

Hermione's spine stiffened and she watched her hands folded neatly on her lap with sudden interest.

"Hermione has been fully vetted by Dumbledore and Moody," Lily argued in her defense.

"So we should just believe them? Don't you remember how she showed up that first night? Drenched in blood?" Alice asked suspiciously.

Remus finally spoke up, addressing the Longbottoms with a firm voice. "The rest of us can vouch for why she showed up like that. We've seen her memories."

"How come we never got to see the memories?" Frank asked.

"They're personal," Hermione finally bit out. "Forgive me, but I don't know you too well or know much of you."

"I thought you were friends with Neville," Alice asked.

"I am," Hermione affirmed.

"Then what happened to us?" she asked confused.

Hermione looked away uncomfortably. "Nothing good," she whispered. "You don't need to know the details; we're trying to prevent it from ever happening anyway."

"See why do you do that?" Frank asked frustrated. "Why do you hold all the answers? If you want us to trust you, transparency would help."

"Knowing what I know isn't a gift," Hermione said lowly. "It's a darker burden than you can imagine knowing all the horrors that once happened but might never come to pass if we play our cards right."

"Well until such a time comes, we don't feel comfortable leaving you alone with our son," Alice said edgily.

"Come on, Lily is here with her, Neville will hardly be alone," insisted Remus.

"Lils, you promised you'd watch him tonight," she pleaded with her friend, ignoring Remus.

Lily looked at James and Sirius helplessly, asking them silently to talk some sense into their friends. But the Longbottoms seemed stubborn and looked between them all expectantly.

"Mate, Hermione is on our side," Sirius finally spoke up.

"I'm not taking chances with my son!" Frank exclaimed. "You know Dumbledore said to tighten our inner circles and she's not a part of ours!"

"Frank, be reasonable." James tried. "Harry will be here too, and he's a bigger target than Neville. So is Lily! Do you think I would leave them here if I didn't trust Hermione?"

The Longbottoms went stiff at everyone's defense. "Should we take it that you won't be honoring our friendship?" Alice asked in shock.

Lily and the Marauders blanched at her suggestion. "Of course not, Alice, you know we always have your back," Lily said impassioned.

"Then why-"

"It's okay," Hermione finally spoke up, looking at everyone without meeting their eyes. "Molly was expecting me back for dinner anyway, I'll just go."

"You shouldn't have to-" Lily argued.

"Lily," Hermione pleaded with thankful eyes. "It's okay. We'll catch up another day."

Lily and the Marauders all watched in guilt as Hermione walked over to her, picking Harry up from Lily's lap. She brushed her nose along his adoringly, whispering her goodbye and promising she'd always come back for him. The Longbottoms shifted uncomfortably at the sight, feeling a tinge of guilt at their stubborn insistence. But they held their ground.

Hermione gently handed Harry back to Lily and stepped away, her heart breaking when she had to pull her fingers out of Harry's insistent grip. Without a second look, she went through the fireplace, firmly saying _'The Burrow.'_

The adults were frozen in silence as Harry started fussing on Lily's lap. He pulled Lily's hair, repeatedly saying, "My! My," gesturing to the fireplace where Hermione had disappeared.

"That was unnecessary," Lily said disappointedly.

Unfortunately, the Longbottoms didn't have an answer for her.

* * *

 **Hello everyone!**

 **So in order to make sure I don't get too dried out from only writing this one longer story, I'm going to start a side project in the form of a long one-shot. Don't worry, I'll still be doing weekly updates on Promise to the Past! The one shot will be something I might publish after a month or so. That being said, I'd love some prompts if you guys are dying to read a certain scenario!**

 **PROMPT GUIDELINES: Keep the pairings limited to Dramione or Fremione for this one :) You can give me as detailed or as vague a prompt as you want, and I'll pick one to work on for this month. I'll announce which prompt I picked when I release the next chapter of Promise to the Past! Please comment your prompts! ^_^ It'd be much appreciated.**

 **Anyway, thank you guys so much for all your thoughts on the story so far, it really helps me get a gauge on whether characters feel realistic or the storyline is too rushed or is lacking detail.**

 **~ Mischief Managed**


	14. Blindsided

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: BLINDSIDED**

It was the very brink of dawn when Molly stirred Hermione awake from her very unsettled slumber. She'd had come back to the Burrow and spent the majority of the night lost in her own memories of the past and eventually drifted into a restless sleep.

Hermione blinked her eyes open blearily, only taking a second before processing Molly's grim gaze. Dread settled into her gut like a heavy stone sinking in water.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, immediately reaching for her wand.

"Dumbledore called an emergency meeting right now," Molly said in an anxious tone.

Hermione didn't need to be told twice; she was out of bed in a heartbeat, grabbing a comfy wool cardigan to cover up her light shorts and camisole before following Molly downstairs.

The Weasleys floo'd to headquarters with Hermione only to be surrounded by numerous loud cracks from people apparating in. The entire order was in an anxious frenzy, everyone alarmed and confused at being woken so early. Hermione searched for Harry with panicked eyes, releasing a sigh of relief when she spotted Lily and James with two toddlers in their arms.

She made her way over to the couple, embracing Lily with Neville squished between them.

"Why are you here?" Hermione asked James curiously. "I thought you were meant to be with Remus?"

James shrugged. "Didn't feel comfortable leaving my wife alone for the night with the two most wanted children on Voldemort's radar."

Hermione nodded understandingly. "And the others?"

"Padfoot and Wormtail are with Moony. Though I suspect they'll be here soon too, the sun's almost up."

"Does anyone know what happened?" Lily whispered on edge.

"No," Hermione said. "The Weasleys didn't seem to know."

The entire room dimmed to a charged silence and the group turned to see Dumbledore and Moody standing near the mantle of the fireplace. Both looked equally disturbed.

"It is with a heavy heart that I tell you the Longbottoms were discovered dead earlier tonight at Augusta Longbottom's estate." Dumbledore announced in a somber voice.

The entire room seemed to hang in a moment of disbelieving silence. Hermione's head began spinning. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. The Longbottoms weren't targeted until after the Potters' death and Voldemort's fall. Even then, they'd been tortured to insanity, not _killed._

"Their son was not found with them," Dumbledore continued.

"W-we have him!" Lily spoke up, her voice cracking from emotion. "A-alice and Frank had left him with us for the night," she whispered brokenly.

Neville was still sleeping peacefully in her arms despite the buzz of the room from earlier, and he was entirely unaware of how irrevocably his life had changed in that night. A look of relief crossed Dumbledore's features as he nodded in acknowledgement at Lily before continuing debriefing the details.

"My patrol tonight went out to investigate when the wards on the property were triggered," Moody said gruffly. "But when we got there, the dark mark was already in the sky and the death eaters were long gone."

Hermione's eyes flew to the Prewett twins, who were standing near Moody but seemed incredibly tense. Their hands were clasped in front of them, and Hermione could see the residual blood staining their skin and clothes. _They were on the patrol,_ she realized.

"Who was their secret keeper?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"The secret keeper of their home was Frank himself," Dumbledore assured. "But the Longbottom estate wasn't under the Fidelius charm."

After a few more security protocol updates, Dumbledore adjourned the meeting, sending everyone home to check their wards and tighten their inner circles of who has access to their homes. In the rush of everyone leaving, Marlene made a beeline towards Lily and James.

"Lily," Marlene cried, choking back sobs as she embraced Lily. "How can they be gone, we were just talking a few days ago."

"Shh..." Lily soothed, rubbing her back gently. "You need to go check on your parents, strengthen their wards."

Marlene nodded in a daze, as if barely able to process her words.

"Marlene!" Lily said firmly, snapping her attention back. "You've got to _go._ "

Hermione noticed with a touch of respect the moment Marlene's eyes strengthened in resolve. She gave Lily and James a parting hug and a nod towards Hermione before turning on the spot and disapparating.

The three of them looked at each other, feeling partially lost when Dumbledore found his way to them through the dispersing crowd.

"We have a lot to discuss... Perhaps we could move somewhere more secure?" Dumbledore suggested meaningfully. The Potters nodded absently in agreement before Dumbledore apparated them all to Potter Cottage.

 **~o~o~o~**

 **~ Potter Cottage**

"Our most immediate issue is who will assume care for young Mr. Longbottom. He's the last of his line, so he has no remaining family," Dumbledore said bluntly.

The Potters stared at him in shock, unable to form any coherent thoughts.

"Now I could ask the Weasleys," Dumbledore continued. "Augusta was quite close to them."

"No..." Lily said hesitantly, studying the sleeping child in her arms. "The Weasleys are an amazing family, but they already have so many children."

"Lily," James whispered to her hesitantly, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "Do you really think we're ready for that?"

Lily gazed at him somberly. "Honestly? Probably not. But if something had happened to us, I would hope my son went to someone I trusted where he'd get all the attention he deserves. They were our _friends_ , James. We can't not do this."

James nodded in agreement, brushing his palm lightly over Neville's tuft of hair. "I guess welcome to the family, little one."

Dumbledore watched them approvingly, nodding his agreement. Hermione watched with tears in her eyes, surprised at how they'd sorted this out. Neville deserved a complete family with love and patience, and even though he'd had his grandmother in her time, he'd never experienced the unconditional love Lily and James could offer him- the kind of love his parents had for him.

They were interrupted by a loud crack giving way to Sirius apparating into the room. His hair appeared wind swept and his shirt was unbuttoned at the collar with his cuffs rolled up to his elbows.

"There was no one at Headquarters," he said breathlessly. "What is it, what's the emergency?"

Everyone looked at him in struck silence, no one wanting to be the bearer of bad news. Saving them the trouble, Dumbledore addressed him gravely.

"The Longbottoms were found dead at their estate earlier in the night."

Sirius looked around at James, Lily, and Hermione, searching their eyes as if waiting for someone to tell him it was all a joke.

"How is that possible?" He asked in denial. "We just saw them a few hours ago."

"Mate," James said sadly, shaking his head.

Sirius' eyes flitted around in a frenzy before they narrowed on Hermione. "Why didn't you warn us they were next?" He asked accusingly.

"They weren't supposed to be," Hermione said helplessly. "In my timeline, the death eaters didn't get to the Longbottoms until after James and Lily... Voldemort was already dead by then."

Sirius stormy eyes blazed at Hermione in rage. "Well then what the bloody fuck _do_ you know? Because I thought you were supposed to have all the answers-"

"SIRIUS." Lily cried sharply. She looked at him warningly, halting his anger induced rant in its tracks.

Sirius groaned, rubbing the back of his neck in despair and frustration. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I know it isn't your fault."

"It's alright," she said forgivingly. "I'm sure it's a shock, I know it is for me too, and I didn't even know them well."

"How do they keep blindsiding us?" James asked exasperatedly. "The Longbottoms have been as securely hidden as we have; how did they manage to find them exactly when they'd left the safety of the Fidelius?"

Dumbledore looked at James and Hermione at Dumbledore as all the puzzle pieces fell into place for the two.

"Professor-" Hermione began gravely. "Could it be-"

"I'm afraid so, my dear." Dumbledore responded grimly, his face set in an uncharacteristic frown.

"Can one of you please explain what is going on?" Lily asked, noticing the exchange.

"Who knew that the Longbottoms would be at the estate instead of their own home tonight?" Dumbledore asked them.

"All of us-" James said. "Me, Lily, Sirius, and Remus. They told us they had to meet with Frank's mother right after Hermione left the cottage."

"Did they tell no one else? Are you absolutely certain?" Dumbledore implored.

"I don't believe so," Lily said hesitantly. "They said they had some private family matters to settle, I don't think they wanted others knowing about it."

"Did you three tell anyone else?" Hermione asked desperately.

"No..." Sirius said in confusion, not knowing where this was heading. "There was no time for us to see anyone else, we went straight to the safe site for Moony's transformation not long after."

Hermione nearly screamed with frustration. She knew it wasn't any of the four of them, it couldn't be. It had to be Pettigrew, she just knew it. But she had no proof.

"It's Pettigrew," Hermione said quietly anyway. "I know it; it has to be."

"Peter was with us the entire night, Hermione." Sirius insisted. "He didn't leave our sight once."

"You said yourself that he was close to Frank! It's entirely possible that they'd talked about this beforehand and Pettigrew was able to relay that information straight to Voldemort and be there for the full moon to keep his cover."

James, Sirius, and Lily looked at each other anxiously as if they were about to be sick. It hit too close to home, and it was too plausible.

"First, it's important that we gather Mr. Pettigrew and Mr. Lupin." Dumbledore instructed them.

James and Sirius nodded before setting a slumbering Harry down next to Lily and apparating away. A few short minutes later, James reappeared with Remus at his side, his weight supported on James with an arm around his shoulder. He didn't look much worse for wear, but he did look incredibly drained. From the glum, shell shocked look on his face, it was clear that James had filled Remus in on the news.

Hermione immediately rushed to his other side, helping James guide Remus to a chair. "How are you feeling?"

Remus smiled at her sadly. "Your potion is incredible, Hermione. I remember everything, and I had control. It was brilliant," he complimented her.

Sirius came back seconds later, a slight panic growing in his eyes. "He wasn't in his flat."

Everyone else looked at him grimly. Things didn't look good for Pettigrew.

"Is there anywhere else he might be?" Dumbledore implored.

"His mother's house!" James cried. "She lives in a muggle neighborhood!"

"Yeah, I know where it is," Sirius said.

"I'll come with you," James said, getting up.

"No!" Hermione insisted firmly. "James, with the Longbottoms gone, your family is the next biggest target on Voldemort's list. I can go with Sirius."

"But-"

"She's right, Prongs," Sirius insisted. "We'll be fine."

Sirius extended his forearm to Hermione, whisking them away when her fingers had a grip on him. They arrived in a dimly lit alley that was still hidden from the rays of the rising sun. Sirius guided her towards the opening of the alley with a hand lightly resting at the small of her back.

 **~o~o~o~**

They made their way up the street to a modest house. Each step closer built a daunting anticipation. Sirius rang the doorbell, and when they didn't receive a response after a few minutes, he tried knocking. They'd been standing on the steps for a few minutes when a jogger came up the street, pausing on the sidewalk in front of the house.

"Are you folks looking for someone?" He asked them, slightly breathless.

Sirius glanced back at the man, seeming perfectly at ease in the muggle world and speaking to muggles. "Yeah, a Mrs. Pettigrew. Do you know if she's in town?"

The man looked at them pityingly. "Oh, didn't you hear the news? Mrs. Pettigrew passed away a few months ago. Her caretaker found her collapsed on the floor."

Hermione pursed her lips and Sirius blanched.

"That's unfortunate, were you lot close to her?" The man asked.

Hermione smiled tightly. "No, just a distant acquaintance. Thank you, though." The man nodded cordially and kept on his path down the street.

Hermione turned to look at Sirius, who was deadly still as if he'd turned to marble. His jaw clenched, sending a small tick through his face.

"He's been saying he's been visiting his mother for the past few months," He said tightly. "But she's been dead this entire time?"

"It would be the perfect cover," Hermione said grudgingly. "I thought she was alive when he'd faked his- when he'd betrayed the Potters. That's why I never questioned it."

"I need to find him," Sirius said with barely contained rage. "And Godric help him if he doesn't have good enough answers for me." He was just about to turn to apparate when Hermione caught him by the arm.

"No," she said firmly. "We need to go back and tell the others what happened. It won't help going on a wild goose chase after Pettigrew right now."

Sirius looked at her in annoyance, as if about to brush her off.

"Sirius, the best thing to do right now is be there for your friends. In just the span of hours they realized they were parents to another child. Besides, they could be compromised already if Pettigrew betrayed the Longbottoms. They _need_ you at their side."

Sirius nodded shortly, which she took as permission to apparate them back.

 **~o~o~o~**

The others all stood upon their entrance, looking at them in questioning anticipation.

"Peter's mom is dead," Sirius said shortly. "Has been for months." The others blanched.

"So that means-" Lily gulped.

"He'd better have one hell of an explanation for where he's supposedly been all those times for the last few months." James growled.

Dumbledore looked lost in thought when Hermione interrupted him. "Professor?"

His eyes snapped up to them. "For safety's sake," he said grimly, "We should relocate all of you to somewhere more secure. If Mr. Pettigrew was secret keeper even if for a short time, it's possible he betrayed your location in that time."

"Where would we go?" Lily asked dubiously.

"Headquarters for now; there aren't many bedrooms but it is protected by the Fidelius," Dumbledore allowed. "And then maybe we can see about tightening the wards on Potter Manor for you."

"What if Pettigrew shows up there?" Hermione asked.

"I hope he does," Sirius said bitingly. "Because we'll be expecting answers."

"Even if he does come," Dumbledore said, "he can't bring anyone else because I'm the secret keeper. It should be safe if you stay on guard."

Within the next few minutes, Lily and James summoned their most valuable things, packing it away quickly. Dumbledore escorted them all back to headquarters, making sure to put additional detection wards on Potter Cottage on his way out.

Headquarters was long empty by now, illuminated by the bright sunlight streaming in through the windows. The place looked deceptively serene and lacked the panic all the Order members felt mere hours ago at being told to secure and tighten their wards and loved ones.

"Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, Hermione, you are free to go," Dumbledore informed them.

"No way," Sirius said immediately. "I'm not leaving them, especially if Peter might show up."

"Me either," Remus agreed.

"Mr. Lupin, you still need to recover from the full moon," Dumbledore said placatingly.

"Yes, and most of the people who know how to help me recover are in this room anyway," he insisted.

"Alright," Dumbledore accepted wearily. "There are only two functional bedrooms, so you'll have to share."

"Not a problem," Sirius agreed immediately.

Dumbledore left not long after. Sirius and Remus were both exhausted from the full moon and Lily sent them straight to bed. By now, Neville and Harry had woken up from their restful sleep and were flitting about actively. James and Lily watched them with a pained sadness, as if not knowing what to do now with the drastic change in their lives.

"Go take a nap," Hermione offered. "I'll stay and play with the kids until you're ready for... everything."

James sighed gratefully and Lily looked at her uncertainly. "You're sure?" She asked.

"Of course," Hermione said light heartedly. "I'll have you know these boys are some of my best friends. _Go._ I have it handled. "

James led Lily away with an arm about her waist, anchoring and supporting. They both appeared so shook by the turn in events, knowing they'd somehow switched destinies with their best friends.

Hermione sighed once they left, sitting down on the floor where the two toddlers were playing near the fireplace. "So..." she said to them uncertainly. "Which story first? How Harry fought a troll or how I flew on a Hippogriff?"

The kids both looked at her in alighted wonder. "Twoll! Twoll! Twoll!" Harry chanted, Neville joining him seconds after.

"Well there were a group of friends all in their first year at Hogwarts..."

* * *

 **Hi all!**

 **So we're moving back into the faced paced nature of things again! I know this was a sad development, but I honestly don't know the Longbottoms well enough to keep writing them through the story. But honestly, when I wrote their wary stance on Hermione, it stemmed from their conservative Pureblood upbringing (not saying that made them prejudiced!), so I hope that clarifies things a bit. They were always just taught to stick to the familiar and trust what they've known, hence their loyalty to Peter. Even though it was frustrating, it does not make them bad people!**

 **UPDATE: I'll be picking up a Fremione one shot/short story for the next month or so! It will be a combination of various prompt suggestions, so I hope ya'll are excited for a more wholesome change in pace. But one shots are something I hope to do habitually, so send me plot suggestions (preferably Hermione pairings) if you have any!**

 **~ Mischief Managed**


	15. Black Revelations

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN: BLACK REVELATIONS**

 **~ Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix**

Hermione had just gotten her friends down for their noon-time nap. It was quite a change of pace for her; while she'd always had a more responsible mothering role among her friends, Hermione had never thought she'd see the day when she was wiping their drool away. Tapping their mouths closed when they were staring after a girl that'd taken their fancy? Sure. But actually cleaning up spit-up and making them burp after eating? It was all still a bit surreal.

She quietly whispered a _muffliato_ on their crib, which she'd transfigured out of one of the living room couches. She then plopped down on the couch, blowing stray strands of hair out of her face. She'd just decided to close her eyes for quick second when she heard muffled footsteps from the hallway.

She stayed still as someone made their way into the living room, heading for the Floo. Their footsteps seemed agitated and purposeful, and Hermione cracked her eyes slightly to catch a glimpse of the one and only Sirius Black. As he was about to reach for the powder, Hermione quickly spoke up, halting his actions.

"You can't go after him."

He looked back at her, his hand coming back to his side as he studied her in contemplation.

"We'll catch him once we have a plan," she continued. "But going after him by yourself is not going to help anyone right now."

"I can find him," Sirius insisted. "I have to, especially after I was foolish enough to believe in him after everything you'd warned us about," he sighed in exasperation, tugging his fingers through his long locks of hair.

"Find him and do what?" Hermione asked knowingly.

A dark rage filled Sirius' eyes, and even though he hesitated to answer, Hermione already knew where his impulses were leading.

"Make him pay."

Hermione nodded, already knowing the truth of it. "Well you regret not listening to me before, so listen to me now. Pursuing Pettigrew in a fit of rage never led you anywhere good. So just _wait_."

Sirius' hard gaze faltered as he thought through her words. "But things have changed. We know now that Peter was the traitor, so even if something unfortunate happens, people will know why."

"Do we?" Hermione asked carefully. "We only know he lied about his mother. Until we have evidence he's aligned with the Death Eaters, you can still get in a lot of trouble for preemptively hurting him."

Sirius bristled at her words. "I don't care," he said firmly. "If the bastard even possibly sold out the Longbottoms, then he _will_ pay and answer for his betrayal."

"Well you should care!" Hermione implored. "I'm telling you, this isn't likely to end well. _Please_ just _wait_."

Sirius shook his head absentmindedly, turning back to the pot of Floo powder. Thinking quickly on her feet, Hermione non-verbally vanished the dish. Sirius froze when it disappeared right before his eyes, turning to Hermione with frustration.

"How _dare_ you try and keep me here?" He bit out.

"I'm trying to stop you from doing something you might regret!" She pleaded. "Something that might be irreversible!"

"You can't cage me here," he said in annoyance, reaching for his wand.

"I'm trying to protect you!" Hermione yelled, finally losing her patience.

"I'm not the one who needs protecting," he said stubbornly, turning away from her.

In a moment of panic, Hermione realized he was about to disapparate away. If he did, there was no chance she'd be able to find and stop him in time from doing something reckless. So she did the only thing she could think of. Leaping off the couch, she ran towards Sirius, launching herself at his back. She locked her legs around his narrow hips and her arms around his neck, clinging to him like a baby monkey.

Sirius grunted softly at the impact of her body, staggering forward a step from surprise. He turned his head to the side with disbelieving eyes only to see Hermione resting her chin on his shoulder with a stubbornness set in her features.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sirius asked mostly in shock. Hermione had never been this bold in the short time they'd known her. She always seemed to prefer more diplomatic routes.

"Stopping you."

"Get. Off."

"No." She refused stubbornly.

Sirius tried to untangle her legs from his hips, but they were clamped around him with a strength he wouldn't have expected from her.

"Hermione," he started warningly.

"No! I've let you all get away with ignoring my warnings, I'm not about to make that mistake again!"

He pried her arms off his shoulders, finally managing to dislodge her from his back with a great struggle. He turned to her, clenching her wrists in between them in a steely hold.

"That was not _your_ mistake, it was ours," he told her honestly. "And this isn't your choice, it's mine."

He released her, carefully gauging whether she'd pounce on him again. When she didn't give any indication she would, he turned once again, determined to apparate out. It was in that last second that his heightened Animagi senses made him turn back, throwing up a rushed protego. It shattered under the impact of the offensive spell, knocking him back against the mantle of the fireplace.

Hermione looked at him guiltily, her wand still raised on him. Sirius eyes narrowed in incredulity.

"You tried to stun me," he whispered in betrayed surprise.

"You can't leave," she whispered back, even with the guilt plastered on her features.

"What are you so afraid of?" Sirius growled in frustration.

"I don't want Harry growing up without his Godfather for a second time!" She finally yelled in frustration.

Sirius froze. His eyes turned on her in shock, his jaw falling open slackly.

"What does that mean?" He finally asked.

Hermione sighed in defeat, walking back to the couch and perching on the edge of the seat. Sirius followed after her hesitantly and stood over her, waiting for some sort of response. She kept her eyes on her lap, avoiding his questioning gaze. So Sirius dropped to a knee in front of her, putting himself in her line of vision.

"Come on, Hermione. What do you mean he grew up without me? I thought you said I was in his life?"

"Y-you were; you were... eventually." Hermione whispered shakily.

Sirius grasped her trembling hands in his own, squeezing them reassuringly. "Hermione, I need to know exactly what happened."

Hermione studied him under hooded eyelashes. She remained silent for so long Sirius was beginning the think she wouldn't answer him at all.

"When Pettigrew betrayed the Potters," she finally said in a low tone. "No one knew you two had switched secret keepers. So when you realized what happened, you went straight after him."

Sirius listened patiently, letting her take her time.

"You'd finally cornered him in a muggle neighborhood... but he cast a curse that killed thirteen muggles, and he cut off his finger and escaped into the sewers as a rat."

When Hermione glanced up, she could see the horrifying reality crash in on Sirius. "And then?" He asked, clenching his jaw.

"You were taken in by the ministry, but since no one knew you'd switched secret keepers, they pinned it all on you. The death of the Potters, the muggles, and... Pettigrew. You were locked away without a trial."

"How long," Sirius asked stonily, keeping his eyes fixed on their hands.

"Twelve years," she whispered. Sirius' eyes shot up to hers in disbelieving aguish, and Hermione looked away sadly. "You escaped when you realized Pettigrew was still alive, and that's when the whole truth was revealed to Harry and the rest of the Order."

"Bloody hell," he whispered. "Twelve _years_?"

Sirius stood up, pacing back and forth in agitation.

"I'd hoped we'd never have to worry about that this time around," Hermione said. "But the way you keep trying to go after Pettigrew on your own... it's like history is repeating itself."

Sirius looked at her, at a loss on what to do next.

"I want you to show us what happened. All of it." He said in a hard voice.

"Are you sure?"

"We need to see it, Hermione," Sirius pleaded. "As horrible as it may be, we need to know."

 **~o~o~o~**

 **~ Hogwarts, Dumbledore's Office**

It was hours later when Hermione was sitting in Dumbledore's office again. They were all taking a look at her memories of her third year. She'd opted out of going in with them, but was waiting anxiously for them to reemerge.

When they finally did, they were quite the sight to behold. Dumbledore was calm and collected as always, but Lily and Sirius were both pale and ashen. James looked dumbstruck. But what broke her heart most of all was the horrified look on Remus' face.

They all looked at Hermione blankly, unsure of what more to say. But she couldn't leave things at that.

"Remus, we didn't blame you for that night," Hermione said softly.

"But I tried to attack you-" he whispered brokenly. "You were just kids," he said to himself in disgust.

"It wasn't your fault," Hermione insisted. "And you were our favorite professor even long after that incident."

Remus smiled slightly when James nicked him in the back of the head. "Yeah, Professor _Moony._ "

"And was that Severus? Who tried to defend you?" Lily spoke up with a sheen of tears in her eyes.

Hermione nodded. "He'd been the potions professor as long as we'd been in Hogwarts."

James eyes narrowed at that information. He turned on Dumbledore in confusion. "Snape is a confirmed Death Eater, why in Merlin's name would you hire him?"

Dumbledore, seeming slightly reassured by Hermione's memory, answered James calmly. "When it was first discovered that Voldemort was after the Potters, it was Severus who came to warn me of the fact. He offered his service to the Order if I protected Lily and her family, and he's been serving us since."

"But-" James interrupted.

"The fact that Severus was still in my employment _and_ defended your son like that means he remained loyal to the light even years into the future. I understand he's made mistakes. But he's also put himself in considerable danger to make up for them; he's the contact who was able to deliver one of the Horcruxes from Malfoy Manor to me."

James sighed in acceptance, especially when Lily held his arm soothingly, trying to communicate with him to drop the matter.

"We should head back to Headquarters," Remus finally said, trying to diffuse the situation. "The boys will be wondering where we are."

"You guys go ahead; I'll be right there."

They paused briefly, and only left at her insistence that she'd be right behind them.

"I have one more memory you should see," Hermione said to Dumbledore, lifting her wand to her temple. "It's not mine, it's Harry's. But he thought it was important for me to know."

"Is there a reason you didn't want the others seeing it?" Dumbledore asked intuitively.

"They have a hard time remaining unbiased," Hermione admitted. "I'm not entirely sure what the reality of this memory is... you always kept a lot of secrets, Sir. But I just want you to be aware of it."

Hermione Floo'd back to Headquarters, wondering if she'd made a mistake leaving Dumbledore with the memories of her sixth year, all ending with his own death.

 **~o~o~o~**

Sirius was waiting for her the second she'd stepped out of the fireplace. He rose off the couch the moment he caught sight of her.

"Sirius..." she glanced at him questioningly. "Is there something you needed?"

"I wanted... I wanted to apologize, on behalf of all of us." He said. "You tried so hard to warn us, and we just gave you a hard time because of it."

"You did," Hermione confirmed with a stony expression.

"And I probably don't deserve your forgiveness for the way I've treated you" he continued glumly.

"Probably not," Hermione smirked.

"But," he continued determinedly. "I'm will do anything I can to make it up to you. You've done more than enough to win my loyalty- _our_ loyalty."

She watched him silently.

"You saved my best mates simply by existing in this time," he continued gratefully. "You helped Remus keep his mind during full moons. And you probably saved me from ever becoming that man in your future."

Sirius looked up at her with haunted eyes that made Hermione's breath hitch.

"God Hermione, I can't breathe when I think of the man you meet in your future," he said gutturally. "I'm not him, that man was so enraged and broken, he was barely sane."

"Oh I don't know about that," Hermione said lightly, smiling through a sheen of tears. "I remember that man making a joke about having fleas to his Godson even in the midst of all that chaos. And he was no more reckless and hotheaded as you seem to be even now!"

"I'm not that bad-" Sirius tried to argue in mock incredulity.

"Yes, you are." Hermione said stepping forward, grabbing a hold of his coat's lapels and shaking him. "And the future you never lost that humor, or that fire. Even though you're right," she admitted, smoothing down the collar of his coat gently. "Something about you was a bit broken, and even with Harry and Remus, there was always this underlying pain behind your smiles."

Sirius grabbed her hands gently to stop their arbitrary fussing. "I don't know how I'm ever going to make it up to you," he whispered down to her.

Hermione looked at him, a genuine smile gracing her soft features. "You're lucky I know how to forgive easily, Sirius Black."

"That easily?" He asked in shock. "But I don't even deserve it yet."

"Perhaps not yet," Hermione admitted. "But I'm sure you'll all prove it to me with time."

Sirius stared at her, dumbstruck.

Hermione laughed at his reaction, stepping away from him a few steps. "Look, as much as it frustrated me, I understand why you felt the need to defend your friend 'till the end. I might've done the same, especially if I didn't have all the information like you all."

He continued to stare at her in growing awe.

"Besides," Hermione continued, smiling softly at a memory. "I've been treated worse for far less. Did you know your Godson ignored my existence for _months_ after I reported that he was anonymously sent the newest broomstick on the market when there was a supposed killer on the loose after him?"

Sirius let out a bark of laughter, finally finding his words. "Well what'd you expect, you can't just separate a young lad from his broomstick."

Hermione laughed with him, relieved at being able to lighten his mood. Sirius stepped up to her, sweeping her into a crushing hug and spinning her around.

"Thank you, little angel," he whispered against her hair. "I promise you won't regret giving us another chance."

Hermione couldn't help the shiver that ran through her body when his breath brushed against her ear. Sirius paused when he felt it, easing Hermione back to her feet. He drew back from her, lightly brushing the flyaway strands of her hair behind the fold of her ear. Hermione couldn't tear her eyes away from his, which were brighter and more vibrant than she'd ever seen them. He leaned closer and was but a hairbreadth away from her when Hermione suddenly regained her senses, turning her head abruptly so his lips barely skimmed her cheek.

He gazed at her questioningly.

"I'm willing to give you all a second chance," Hermione said clearly. "But I won't make the mistake of getting involved any more deeply."

Sirius sighed deeply against her cheek, his hands clenching around her waist tightly before he released her. "Of course," he said respectfully, easing back slowly. "I'm sorry if I pushed you."

Hermione turned back to him, almost wanting to eat her words. But there was no point. They'd all had lives before she fell into their time; it was in all their best interest to let them continue on their previous paths.

"It's fine," she said easily. "You didn't force anything that happened before."

Sirius' eyes immediately darkened at the memory of their last encounter that morning in the Potters' kitchen.

"But that's not what I'm here for," Hermione continued. "I have other matters to focus on."

Sirius nodded in acceptance, taking another step back from her. "Right. So what's next for you?"

"Making sure all the Horcruxes are gone so we actually have a fighting chance against Voldemort," Hermione said with a grim determination.

"You're not alone," Sirius insisted.

"No, I'm not," Hermione agreed. "Moody has been training me for weeks already on how to destroy them. Dumbledore's handled acquiring most of the Horcruxes. We only need two more before we can get rid of them once and for all."

"What about after that?"

"If we all live to see the end of this war," Hermione sighed wistfully. "I guess the world's the limit. I'd need to finish my testing, but I'm sure I'd find something to do with myself after that."

"Would we be a part of that future?" Sirius asked unsurely. "Or have we mucked that up too?"

Hermione laughed at that. "I would've stayed even if you all were being atrocious to me. Harry and Neville, and the Weasleys- they've practically been my family in the Wizarding world. Dementors couldn't keep me away."

Sirius smirked, appeased by that answer. She wouldn't be going anywhere, even if she didn't fully trust them enough anymore to be there for her. Well they'd simply have to prove her wrong.

* * *

 **Surprise Update!**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed some of the positive developments ^_^ This story is going to be a lot longer than I originally anticipated so buckle in for some twists and turns! I think this chapter is setting the groundwork for the next round of developments and the changing dynamics between characters.**

 **~ Mischief Managed**


	16. Loose Ends

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN: LOOSE ENDS**

 **~ Hogwarts, Dumbledore's Office**

Hermione was praying that Dumbledore had some good news to share with her. His breathtaking phoenix patronus had woken her in the early hours of the morning, requesting her presence at Hogwarts. Peter had officially disappeared for 24 hours now, and no one in the Order had heard any news from him. Despite the precautions Moody had taken to redo the wards on all Order safe houses, there was still too much valuable information that Peter could go spilling.

Hermione stepped through the Floo, determined to start the day productively. "Good morning, Prof-"

She froze halfway out of the fireplace, startled by the sight before her. Dumbledore was standing in front of his desk, leaning back on it casually. But that wasn't what halted Hermione in her footsteps. Standing near him with a familiar face of indifference was a much younger version of the professor who'd always made her feel like something at the bottom of his shoe.

In a way that actually reminded her of Draco Malfoy, the reclusive man in a black overcoat sneered at her when he caught her staring at him slack-jawed.

"Ah, Hermione. Good you're here," Dumbledore greeted calmly.

"Professor..." Hermione said, edging forward hesitantly. "What is _he_ doing here?"

"Well he _is_ the one who got me the diary," Dumbledore said patiently.

Severus Snape's eyes flashed dangerously as he rounded them on Dumbledore. "What do you think you're doing," he said tightly.

"Severus, meet Hermione Granger. Hermione, I believe you already know Severus." Dumbledore said, his amusement clear as day.

Snape opened his mouth indignantly. "You swore you wouldn't tell _anyone-_ "

Hermione's eyes widened in alarm. "Professor, is it really smart to tell him my true identity-"

"Stop!" Dumbledore commanded firmly, making them both shut their mouths immediately. "We have a lot to clear up so let me make things simple. You will both need to trust each other because I can assure you that you're both on the same side."

"But my memories-" Hermione argued.

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore began patiently. "I did look over your memories, and I must admit at first I was alarmed. But I noticed something you might have missed that year."

Hermione watched him expectantly.

"The curse on my hand was likely one severe enough to be slowly draining my life force. I was probably already dying by the time everything you remember occurred, and to be honest, it seems like something I would've orchestrated beforehand."

"You were already dying?" Hermione whispered in horror.

Dumbledore nodded at her sadly. "Which is why I must thank you for warning me about the ring in advance this time. I admit, I would've been too distracted to be cautious."

Hermione's eyes swung the to the young Severus Snape. "But that means Snape..."

"Yes, Severus was loyal to the Order the entire time." Dumbledore confirmed.

"What in Merlin's name is going on," Severus said in a surprisingly impatient tone, quite unlike the stoic professor Hermione had known. "Do I even know her? And what memories are you talking about?"

"Severus, Miss Granger is referring to your future actions, which have proven that you do in fact remain loyal to the Order even years into the future, and that you can indeed be trusted now."

A look of incredulity flooded Snape's eyes as they flickered back and forth between Dumbledore and Hermione. "The future? You mean _she_ came back from the _future_? Why is the Order still even active then and why would I still be working for you?"

"You can ask Miss Granger later if you'd like details," Dumbledore said dismissively. "For now we have more important matters to attend to."

Snape's eyes flickered over Hermione distastefully before he pursed his lips in acceptance. Hermione rolled her eyes, looking expectantly to Dumbledore.

"Tell her what you told me about the snake, Severus," Dumbledore prompted.

"You told him about them?" Hermione exclaimed, prompting a chastising look from Dumbledore and a self-satisfied smirk from Snape.

Snape glanced at Hermione suspiciously once more before starting his debriefing with a sigh. "I've checked Nagini for any abnormalities, but there are none. In fact, the Dark Lord has acquired her fairly recently, I don't think he would've had the time to actually turn her into a Horcrux."

"Have you considered her properties might be different from an inanimate Horcrux?" Hermione asked immediately.

"Of _course,_ " Snape said condescendingly. "I can guarantee with absolute certainty that the snake is _not_ a Horcrux."

For a second Snape expected her to turn her nose up at him and accuse him of lying to them simply to sabotage their mission. If she was with Potter's crowd, then clearly she'd be the same narrow-minded and woefully hot-headed type. In fact, she practically screamed Gryffindor with her quick concerns and painfully expressive nature.

"Well... I'm not actually sure when he made the snake a Horcrux," Hermione admitted, much to his surprise. "The last certain Horcrux I knew of was the Diadem, because I know he had finished all his relic based ones by the time he got to the Potters."

" _Got_ to the Potters?" Snape asked in a tense voice, standing rigidly.

"We've prevented it this time around," Hermione said softly.

Severus studied Hermione critically, trying to pick her apart with his piercing gaze. He seemed too affected by news of the Potters' hypothetical death, which made no sense to Hermione because as far as she knew, James Potter had made his life a living hell in Hogwarts and he'd thought of Lily Potter as a mudblood at the time.

"So assuming the snake hasn't been created yet, do we have all the Horcruxes, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore implored.

"I think so." Hermione recalled, quickly counting off the ones they'd gathered. "His diary, the Slytherin locket, the Hufflepuff cup, the Gaunt ring, and- oh! We still need the Diadem of Ravenclaw!"

"I've already acquired that," Dumbledore reassured.

"Where was it hidden?" Hermione asked curiously.

"The room where all things are hidden."

Snape looked befuddled at the ambiguous statement but Hermione's eyes widened in understanding. "The Room of Requirement, of course!"

"Am I to take it that you will no longer need my service?" Snape inquired slyly.

"Of course not Severus," Dumbledore insisted. "The Horcruxes are only half the battle. We still need to defeat Voldemort himself. Your position in his ranks is invaluable to us, especially now."

"How are you here anyway?" Hermione asked abruptly. "Isn't Hogwarts too obvious of a place for you to visit."

"I don't see how it's any of your business," Snape sneered.

"Severus," Dumbledore said warningly. "He's actually here to interview for the position of Defense professor. Voldemort is attempting to turn him into a double agent, but little does he know that it only makes our communication easier."

Snape frowned at how easily the old man was sharing information with someone who was practically a stranger. This was highly compromising knowledge, and it could make the difference between life and death for him should it fall into the wrong hands.

"Don't let him be Defense professor," Hermione suggested.

Snape's eyes snapped to hers in outrage, his entire body bristling with indignation. Before he could even articulate what was sure to be a seething retort, Hermione quickly went on to reassure him.

"Nothing good ever happened to the Defense professor since Voldemort himself tried to get the position and was rejected. Just do potions for now, just until we can defeat him. It would only be temporary!"

"I was thinking potions would be a better fit, regardless," Dumbledore said in agreement, much to Snape's displeasure.

"Well then how soon can we get his all done and over with?" Snape snapped angrily.

"Miss Granger, how have your lessons with Alastor been going?" Dumbledore asked.

"Brilliant," Hermione confirmed. "I think the sooner we get rid of the Horcruxes, the better."

"In this case, I can't help but agree with... Miss Granger," Snape said, visibly forcing himself to address her politely.

"Very well," Dumbledore agreed. "We shall reconvene later this evening to finish it off."

 **~o~o~o~**

 **~ The Burrow**

Hermione eventually returned to the Burrow, her nerves buzzing with the anticipation of that evening. Yes, she'd mastered casting Fiendfyre under Moody's tutelage, but she remembered Harry and Ron telling her the Horcruxes put up a fight, which made her nervous. There was no way for her to practice the strength it would take to fight back because she simply didn't know what it would take.

"Hermione," she heard a familiar voice call. Hermione turned around in surprise to see her second favorite pair of twins heading towards her.

"Gideon, Fabian," she exclaimed. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Our sister told us you were sulking," Gideon deadpanned. "We were summoned to come fix you."

"Oh I was not," Hermione said indignantly. "I was just thinking."

"Dumbledore told us," Fabian said seriously. "We were asked to be there tonight."

"Really? How come?" Hermione asked.

"We're like Moody's hands, we're usually there for important missions." Gideon said proudly.

"Really?" Hermione's eyes widened in surprise. "I always thought Kingsley was next in line."

"Kings?" Fabian asked incredulously. "I mean don't get me wrong, the man is sharp but he's not as big of a field agent."

Hermione nodded, thinking through her timeline. It was quite possible the twins were Moody's deputies, especially after having seen them in action. If Kingsley was further down the ranks, it made sense why he would've been more influential in her time after most of the higher Order members had already died.

"Besides, we've been handling the Longbottom's case as well," Gideon added.

"Did they tell you about Pettigrew?" Hermione asked.

They both nodded grimly. "We've looked everywhere," Fabian groaned. "The dirty coward just disappeared."

"We'll find him eventually," Hermione said confidently. "We have to."

"Be honest," Gideon said, smirking at her. "Is it satisfying to be proven right about everything?"

"Honestly?" Hermione thought about it. "No, it's terrifying. I don't want to be right because my truths are not a future I would want for you all."

Gideon scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You're too good for us," he said chuckling. "I'd be gloating in all their ungrateful faces if I were you."

"Yeah well clearly that's why you're the git and she's not," Fabian said jokingly, punching his brother on the edge of his shoulder.

As they all chuckled, they heard a loud crash from the kitchen. Hermione's eyes widened as she heard Molly Weasley sputtering a stream of expletives that she'd never expected to hear from the mother in her life.

"Oh dear Merlin, Molly, what have you broken this time?" Gideon called out sarcastically.

"SHUT UP AND COME HELP ME YOU PRAT!"

Gideon winced at the shrill command, sending an apologetic shrug their way. "Duty calls," he said, rushing off to help his sister.

"So..." Fabian said expectantly.

"So..?" Hermione asked, looking at him in question.

"How have things been with the young ones? You know since the big reveal and all?"

"Young ones?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening in mirth. "I assume you don't mean your nephews and their friends?"

"No of course not, the other children," Fabian said airily.

Hermione couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Well they're all old enough to be my parents, so I guess that just makes you ancient!"

"Take that back," he scoffed in mock indignation. He studied her as her laughs quieted, trying to look past her normal wall of strength and calm reserve. "No, but seriously. Have they been treating you alright?"

"Fine," Hermione nodded. "I mean don't get me wrong I don't think they've been unreasonably petty since the night we went to Nott Manor. But if there's anything I've realized is that I don't really know them as well as I thought I did. I guess I'm just trying to learn who they are, maybe become friends."

"Ah yes, the night you miraculously saved us," Fabian said with a teasing glint.

Hermione merely shrugged humbly. "You would've done the same for me."

"And how are things with Black?" Fabian asked knowingly.

"Sirius? Fine, I guess. I think I get along better with Remus, though."

"I see how he looks at you," Fabian pointed out.

"You mean with suspicion? Or frustration?" Hermione said wryly.

"Like you're a rune that he just can't quite decode." Fabian watched Hermione carefully as she fidgeted with her fingers, a mask of calm enveloping her features. She looked up at him in surprise, shaking her head in denial.

"He doesn't look at me like that."

"He wants you, and you might be the only one who doesn't see it." Fabian said bluntly.

Hermione snorted, rolling her eyes. "From what I've gathered, he wants just about anyone in a skirt."

"But you want him too," Fabian said clearly, making Hermione's gaze snap to his.

"I did..." Hermione admitted. "But the person I thought I liked was a much more mature and older version of Sirius. That man doesn't exist yet."

" _Yet_ ," Fabian emphasized. "Do you plan to wait around for him?"

"Oh gods no," she exclaimed. "Besides, I doubt he would ever mature into the man I knew- I mean the circumstances that turned him into that were unique, if nothing else. Besides I have other priorities now, I can't jeopardize being in Harry's life by fooling around with his bloody Godfather!"

"Touché." He smirked in amusement. "But if you need anyone to teach him a hard lesson-"

"Let me guess? You'll be first in line?" Hermione rolled her eyes at the typical threat to beat some sense into those who hurt her. "Dear Merlin, Harry Potter might be a baby now, but I swear you're just like him! I guess I attract the type."

Fabian let out a loud belly laugh when Hermione looked him up and down scrutinizingly.

"I was going to say Gideon would do it," Fabian defended, eyes twinkling in amusement. "He's gotten very protective of you since the mission at the Manor."

"Great, just what I need," Hermione began sarcastically. "Another pair of guard dogs."

"Hey I resent that!" Gideon cried, walking back into the room looking a bit disheveled. "We happen to be active Aurors. I can always _arrest_ the bloke," he said devilishly, already smiling at the prospect.

"None of that now," Hermione cried, not entirely believing them above such a stunt. "Besides, you'll both be disappointed to know that I really just plan on staying out of his way. We might become friends at most, but even in my time we couldn't have a conversation without bickering about one thing or another."

"Yeah sure, sure," Gideon said dubiously, sharing an amused glance with his twin. Clearly their young time traveler didn't realize how stubborn of a man Sirius Black truly was- like a dog with a bone. If there's one thing they did know, it's that he wanted her, even despite his own better judgement sometimes.

* * *

Hi all,  
I've appreciated all of your reviews and helpful insight during my writing process! I understand some of you were frustrated by the author's note I published last week about my new Fremione fic, and most people were respectful about voicing their frustrations if they chose to do so, which I really appreciate! However, a few of you were very rude about it, which was frankly disappointing considering I updated this story twice last week within the span of a few days. It was disconcerting at first, but I honestly can't bring myself to keep caring because this is a platform to write and share what I want. **That being said, thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story, I hope you all are enjoying it!**

 **~ Mischief Managed**


	17. Broken Endings

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: BROKEN ENDINGS**

 **~ Hogwarts, Room of Requirement**

Every hour leading up to that night, Hermione became more and more tense, and it hadn't slipped the twins' notice. She'd smile it off every time they brought it up, but she knew she hadn't quite managed to convince them all was okay. Even in her own timeline, Hermione hadn't destroyed a single Horcrux. Granted, she'd have Dumbledore and Moody, who were both incredibly powerful wizards, but regardless something about the situation unsettled her.

The twins escorted her to Hogwarts, even though it was only a quick Floo away. Something about not wanting to be held responsible for losing their secret weapon? Not that Hermione was going to protest anyway- they were all heading to the same place. They'd wandered through the halls of Hogwarts, which was deserted in the late hours past the students' curfew. Hermione silently made her way all the way up to the Room of Requirement and the twins wordlessly flanked her all the way there.

When they reached the blank wall of the 7th floor corridor, Hermione paused, repeatedly thinking _I need the room where I'm meant to meet Professor Dumbledore._ She heard a sharp intake of air on either side of her as the grand door began to etch into the stone wall out of seemingly nowhere and turned back slightly to see mirroring looks of awed shock on the Prewetts' faces. Hermione chuckled in amusement as she realized they hadn't known the location of the room and had been merely following her blindly through the castle.

Hermione led them into the room only to pause suddenly once again. The room appeared as a long empty hall, much like their practice room for defense back in their fifth year. Standing on two opposite sides of the room was Alastor Moody and Severus Snape, the former grumbling under his breath unhappily while the latter cautiously eyed the others in calm and withdrawn stance. Dumbledore was calmly standing between the two in the middle ground, waiting for Hermione's arrival. She'd stopped so suddenly that Fabian and Gideon almost ran right over her before screeching to a halt. They looked over her easily, tensing at the sight of Snape.

Their wands were out of the pockets before she could even blink, trained unwaveringly on Snape as they both moved to stand in front of Hermione protectively. Snape didn't even bother reaching for his wand, his gaze flickering to Dumbledore almost as if he were bored.

"Are you going to control your buffoons or do I need to?" Snape said idly.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Fabian demanded furiously.

"Just try it and see what happens," Gideon bit out dangerously, his gaze not leaving Snape for even a second.

"Okay, down boys," Hermione said stepping out from beside them, standing in front of them. "He's here to help."

"You can't be serious," Fabian cried, looking back to Snape incredulously. "He's a branded Death Eater! He's fought in battles against Order members!"

"And you both know now that not all Death Eaters are branded. Not all who are branded are as evil as you may thin-"

"Actually," Severus interrupted dryly. "Only the most loyal and strong of the Death Eaters are actually branded."

Hermione whirled to Snape in outrage, her eyes speaking volumes. "You're not helping your case!" She could see a flicker of amusement in Snape's eyes before he scoffed.

"I don't need to prove myself to any of you; I was _asked_ to be here."

"Over my dead body," Gideon said grumbled.

"That can be arranged-" Snape retorted.

Before the men could work themselves into a full blown duel, Moody gruffly stepped in. "Alright now enough, stand down."

Fabian and Gideon looked to their mentor in surprise, their wands wavering in hesitation. "But why are we trusting _him_?" Fabian asked once again.

"Severus has proved himself already," Dumbledore said firmly. "We wouldn't be able to complete this mission today without him, so I've asked him to be here since he's so knowledgeable about the dark arts."

"So he can just go run back to his precious Dark Lord with-" Gideon started ranting in an annoyed tone.

"I guarantee you, Mr. Prewett," Dumbledore said calmly, "there is not a single scenario you're thinking of now that I haven't vetted thoroughly ten times over."

"I can just leave," Snape said, rolling his eyes.

"So you can go blabbing before we complete the mission?" Fabian scoffed. "I think not."

"We could always arrest him," Gideon suggested, smirking at his twin.

"Alright, enough!" Hermione yelled, startling them all. "You two," she said looking at the twins in reprimand, "need to calm down and trust us when we tell you he wouldn't be here if we didn't trust him with this." The twins harrumphed, finally pocketing their wands under Hermione's stare.

"And you," she said sharply, turning to Snape next. "You can try to _not_ provoke them at every turn? You don't make trusting you that easy."

"I don't need you to trust me," Snape said stubbornly.

"And here I thought you were a Slytherin, yet your self-preservation skills are so thoroughly subpar," Hermione threw back as if unimpressed. Snape's nostrils flared indignation as he bore holes into her with his pissed off gaze. Eventually he relented, shifting his gaze in disinterest, cueing Dumbledore to move the night along. Hermione had to admit, standing up to her old Professor now that the power dynamics between the two were more even was beyond satisfying. It gave her some deep seated joy knowing she could call him out on his cold and harsh behavior without him draining her house of their cup points or landing her in detention for the rest of her academic career.

"Well you all know why we're gathered tonight," Dumbledore said grimly, stepping away from the table behind him.

Their gazes fell upon the five treasures Voldemort had deemed worthy of harboring a piece of his soul. The table was lined with the diary, locket, cup, diadem, and ring. Hermione noticed that the stone had been removed from the ring, and she assumed Dumbledore removed it, not wanting it to be destroyed in the fire.

"We should take turns," Hermione recommended. "I've been told that they tend to put up a fight, and it might be safer for us to get breaks in between."

"Good thinking," Dumbledore agreed. "We can't take unnecessary risks."

"Well let's get on with it then," Moody said pragmatically, lifting his wand to levitate the cup to the other end of the room, well away from them.

Everyone waited with a baited silence as Moody stared at the inanimate object, his wand trained on it stiffly. Hermione watched in wonder as he murmured a quiet incantation and like wisps of smoke, a bright glowing fire trailed out the end of his wand, rushing towards the cup as it took the shape of a great eagle in flight. The eagle engulfed the cup, and they waited for the cup to start burning under the heat. But their confidence faltered when the flames started distorting suddenly, Moody's wand shaking from his effort to hold the spell.

 _'I have seen your fears, Alastor Moody. I have seen your weaknesses,'_ a guttural voice hissed, making everyone in the room wince. _'Such a potential to thrive under my wing, yet you waste it with people who can never understand what you have to offer.'_

Hermione's eyes flickered to Dumbledore in concern as Moody trembled under the weight of holding the spell with the added influence of the Horcrux fighting back. Dumbledore's gaze was set on Alastor, as if silently willing him to pull through. With a harsh grunt, Moody bore down on the cup with his wand, and everyone watched in hitched anticipation as the flame compressed in on the cup before a strong blast sent them all flying back. Hermione felt herself flying like a leaf in the wind before she tumbled into Gideon and Fabian, who'd had a bit more luck with holding their ground until she knocked them over like bowling pins. They helped her up distractedly, all of their gazes drawn to Moody who has on the floor and panting from exhaustion.

Hermione rushed forward, helping her mentor up with a steadying arm. Their eyes were all drawn to the small pile of smoking ashes on the far end of the room and the small Ashwinder egg resting at the center of the pile.

"Bloody hell," Moody cursed weakly.

Dumbledore looked grim, taking one look at the table of remaining Horcruxes before levitating the ring to the pile of its decimated ancestor. He lifted his wand confidently, sending a flame smoothly towards the ring that emerged into the shape of a dragon. The sweltering heat from the flap of its wings flew through the others, almost suffocating in its strength. The flames distorted violently as the violent screeching sound encompassed the room. They watched with rising concern as even Dumbledore seemed to buckle under the struggle of holding the spell, his wand shaking from his renewed efforts.

When the blast that finally destroyed the ring for good swept through the room, Dumbledore was thrown back from it. Gideon and Fabian rushed to help him up, and he slowly got to his feet, looking disconcerted from it all.

Dumbledore turned to Hermione in concern. She nodded at the question in his gaze, knowing her turn was up. She looked through the Horcruxes, levitating the diary to the pile of ashes. That diary had caused so much harm, almost killing her friend Ginny Weasley. It was vile, and it was also the only Horcrux that had the capacity to communicate clearly. It made Hermione's skin crawl, giving her more reason to get rid of it at once.

"Are you sure?" Moody asked hesitantly. "I-... I almost wasn't able to hold the spell towards the end," he admitted. His unspoken words remained in the air, _even Dumbledore could barely handle the strength from the spell with the added strain from the Horcrux._

Hermione looked back and forth between Moody and Dumbledore helplessly. Dumbledore studied her benevolently.

"I won't force you, Miss Granger."

"No," she said determinedly. "It has to be done. I can do it."

Unlike Moody's surge of fire that rushed towards the cup, Hermione cast her spell gently, conserving her strength from the beginning. The fire slowly formed into a prowling tiger, roaring boldly at the diary. Putting a little more strength behind her incantation, she watched as the tiger leaped forward gracefully, pouncing on the small diary. Before long, the same harsh screeching filled the air as the fire started to distort under the Horcrux's influence. Hermione could feel the painful throb move up her arm as beads of sweat started tricking along her hairline. But she held strong, unable to think of the alternative. The flames suddenly did something unexpected as they burst into figures very different from the tiger she'd originally cast.

Hermione's face fell in something akin to horror as the flames took the shape of her best friends, gazing at her in condemnation.

 _"You let my parents die,"_ the flame of Neville spoke coldly. _"You had one job being sent back, and you failed. You couldn't even save my parents."_

 _"Certainly didn't take you too long to move on did it,"_ Ron sneered at her. _"How could you? I loved you!"_

Hermione faltered under the onslaught, her guard slipping for a second in which an overwhelming heat enveloped them. She quickly strengthened her grip, bearing down on the Horcrux as she'd seen Moody do. She was drenched in sweat from her efforts by now, her body quaking under the force of the spell. But her renewed effort only seemed to aggravate the Horcrux more as a figure of Harry burst through the other two.

 _"You left me to die,"_ he said accusingly. _"And worst of all, you didn't even do anything with my sacrifice- You just left. You're living the life I was meant to live. You've failed us, and you're nothing more than a coward running away from everything we've sacrificed for this bloody war."_

Hermione felt the tears spill over her cheeks at Harry's jabs, silently chanting to herself that it wasn't real. Yet part of her couldn't help but agree. It had all been too easy; her friends gave their lives to the war and yet here she was healthy, and whole, and with a new set of friends willing to stand at her back. She could feel the embers of Harry's magic stirring uncomfortably within her, whipping restlessly with her own energy.

She channeled her frustration and sorrow into her spell, pushing her energy as well as a bit of Harry's through her wand. She watched with surprise as a flash filled the room, the tiger of her flame regaining its regal form as it literally stomped on the diary, extinguishing the last of the soul remaining within it. When she finally willed the flame to die, Hermione fell to her knees with a painful thud, feeling hollow and dangerously empty.

"Hermione!" Fabian cried, rushing forward.

"What was that," Gideon whispered in suspicious fear.

"I'm not entirely sure," Dumbledore said in concern. He looked to Severus questioningly, but his gaze was fixed on the shell-shocked girl on the floor, his own surprise reflected in his features.

"It's b-because-" Hermione tried to say, her voice trembling violently. "It's because the diary was his f-first Horcrux. It was probably the strongest of all of them."

Fabian tried to sooth her by rubbing her back, but Hermione was shaking so badly that she could barely feel him. Moody still looked drained even as he watched her in concern. He suddenly surged to his feet.

"My turn again is it?"

"Are you sure?" Dumbledore asked. "This has been more draining than any of us anticipated."

"The girl said it herself," Moody said, looking at Hermione fondly. "It has to be done."

Moody levitated the diadem to the pool of ashes, staring at it in determination. He lifted his wand, sending a second flame charging for the Horcrux. But thirty seconds into it, it was already clear that it was too much. Moody's arm was trembling badly, and he'd dropped to his knees from the strain it was taking on him. In a moment of panic, she realized he wouldn't be able to hold it until the end, but Dumbledore was already ahead of her. He quickly joined Moody, casting his own flame towards the fighting Horcrux. Together they bore down on the Horcrux until it finally collapsed under their combined strength.

There was a pause of silence before Hermione stepped forward to finish the job as there was only one Horcrux left.

"Hermione you can't," Gideon said in alarm.

"There's just one left," she said with a weak smile. "We have to finish this. He probably already knows, there's no way he hasn't felt the last four being destroyed."

"Are you sure you can handle it?" Fabian assessed her in concern.

She paused at his inquiry, seriously considering it. She slipped a pepper-up potion out of her bad, downing it quickly. The energy surged back into her fingers, as she felt more alert.

"I can finish it," she said confidently.

She trained her wand on the locket, thinking about the months of grief it had given them. It caused Ron to leave. It made Harry snap at her countless times in frustration. It was a dark and burdensome weight that simply shouldn't exist.

Hermione looked over to Dumbledore and Moody, and it sent a shiver of trepidation up her spine seeing they were both down for the count. They were both much more experienced than her, with decades more experience to hone their magic, and they'd barely been able to handle a second Horcrux with their combined strength. Still, she simply couldn't accept the alternative.

Wordlessly, she conjured a flame one more time sending with to the Horcrux with a wary determination. She began panicking in her mind as the numbing throb returned almost instantly. Harry's magic stirred restlessly, fully awake now and clashing with hers uncomfortably, as if feeling caged under the onslaught on this threat, itching to break free.

To her great dismay, the flames distorted into people once more, almost making her whimper in frustration. Maybe it was simply because she had no experience with Occlumency, but she couldn't place why the Horcruxes only kept materializing people for _her_. But this time, it wasn't her friends that she had to face, which was unfortunate because she could manage to convince herself the outrages accusations their Horcrux versions made were lies.

This time, the Longbottoms appeared to her looking grim. Alice looked at her in disappointment. _"Tortured to insanity in one time and simply killed in the other? I thought you were meant to be our son's friend? How could you manage to let us die?"_

Hermione blanched at the accusation. She hadn't told anyone about the Longbottom's fate in her timeline. Most people assumed they'd simply died. She started whimpering under the pain of holding the spell, almost sobbing when James, Lily, Remus, and Sirius materialized in front of her.

 _"You'll never be one of us,"_ Sirius sneered. _"We've known each other for years, you can't simply jump into that."_

 _"I only tolerate you because you apparently will be saving my son's life,"_ James said tonelessly.

 _"Face it,"_ Remus told her logically. _"You're simply not meant to be in this timeline."_

She felt like she was being punched in the gut repeatedly as her worst fears were being laid out before her. But the worst was yet to come as Lily stepped forward, looking through her coldly.

 _"You couldn't manage to save my son in your own timeline. Instead of sending him back to be with his parents, you show up instead. And now you're ripping us apart with your cryptic warnings. We don't need you anymore, we'd be better off if you just disappeared,"_

Hermione could feel her control over the spell slipping. She was so close, she could feel it, but she could also feel the magic pour out of her in draining waves in order to contain the Fiendfyre. Still, she was too stubborn to simply give up. Hermione could feel herself teetering unsteadily on her feet, and she felt the moment she'd pushed herself too far. Her magic stopped flowing out her wand, and she could feel herself falling backwards. In that split second, she could hear one of the twins cry her name out in alarm. She belatedly felt someone come up behind her, a tall but sturdy presence. The scent of mint and sandalwood cut through the smoke, hitting her like a breath of fresh air. She turned in a daze to see the one and only Snape standing with a firm arm behind her, keeping her from falling back. Regaining her balance, she watched with surprise as he conjured his own flame and a hissing king cobra struck the locket harshly. His eyes never met her once, entirely focused on the Horcrux.

But she realized just then and there what an enigma Severus Snape truly was. He might not be the man who gave years of his life to the Order. Hermione had been suspicious that maybe too much of his noble character was still to underdeveloped by this time for him to be trusted with so much. But this proved that Severus had more to offer than she'd anticipated. Maybe there was more good in him than she thought. Hard as he might try to mask it with his snarky, biting bitterness, his actions continued to endorse his trustworthiness.

His spell released as the Horcrux was destroyed with a loud bellow. Hermione stared at the smoking remains of 80% of Voldemort's soul, realizing with dulled happiness that she'd finally seen it through. She'd done what Harry had pleaded with her to do for the sake of the Wizarding World. She'd helped make Voldemort mortal.

Before Snape could react, as he himself was drained from his spontaneous efforts, Hermione teetered sideways, landing sideways on the floor with a sickening snap. His eyes widened in shock as he knelt beside her, trying to turn her to her back gingerly.

Hermione winced in pain, barely conscious now that she'd finally let go after fighting for so long. She was simply too tired of being strong. Strong to keep up the spell. Strong to maintain her stance against the scrutiny of the Order. Strong in a strange time all alone.

Hey eyes flickered closed as Fabian and Gideon rushed forward, yelling her name in alarm. Somewhere above her, she could hear Moody commanding her to stay awake in a hard voice tainted with panic.

Severus was about to run his wand over her in a diagnostic incantation when he too let out a pained grunt, clutching his forearm with a growing look of horror in his eyes.

"Go," Dumbledore told him, noticing his mark flare up. Severus got to his feet with a slight tremor in his hand. Dumbledore stopped him as he made to exit the room. "Severus... Make sure you come back, no matter what it takes. You will always have a spot in the Order."

Severus nodded grimly, turning and striding out of the room with his jaw set in grim anticipation.

 **~o~o~o~**

 **Cliffhanger? Dun dun dun! Does Voldemort know Snape is involved? Does Hermione make it? If you're beside yourself wondering what happened, then I've done my job right :)**

 **~Mischief Managed**


	18. Bitter Beginnings

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: BITTER BEGINNINGS**

 **~Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix**

Fabian and Gideon swept through a flurry of green flames with Hermione cradled in Gideon's arms. Her breathing was shallow and she would only flutter her eyes open when the brothers got panicked and yelled for her to stay awake.

"Lily!" Fabian screamed, rushing to the hallway to look for the apprentice healer. "LILY!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," a soft voice said from up the staircase.

Gideon took the chance to lay Hermione down on the couch gently, whispering to her to stay with them. Lily quickly made her way into the room, her inquisitive expression dropping when she saw Hermione, the color on her face draining away.

"What happened?" She asked immediately, stepping up to the half-conscious girl to check her pulse and pupils.

"Long story," Fabian said. "But she used a dangerous amount of energy, so her core is probably depleted. And she fell on her side, we heard a crack."

Lily ran a quick diagnostic spell, and a bright red glow permeated through Hermione's lower rib cage. "She has a few broken ribs," she said grimly. "It's probably punctured her lung, which is why she's struggling to breathe."

"Lily?" Another voice rang through the house. They all paid no mind to the approaching footsteps, all three of them too honed in on Hermione. "Lily! What in the world happened, is she okay?"

"Remus!" Lily cried, turning around. "I need you to fetch me my chest of potions!"

Remus stared at Hermione in frozen concern, as if he hadn't even heard his friend.

"Remus!"

His eyes snapped to Lily. "Right, potions," he mumbled weakly, rushing out of the room.

"Why do you need potions. Can't you heal her without them?" Fabian asked in alarm.

"I can heal the bone," Lily said. "But lung tissue is very sensitive, so potions are better. Besides, she needs strengthening potions too."

It had been but thirty seconds before they all heard multiple sets of footsteps bounding down the stairs. Remus rushed in first, with Sirius and James right on his tail. James was clasping a confused young Harry to his chest, whose eyes were wide in alarm. Remus laid out the potions for Lily, helpfully handing her whatever she requested as Lily worked diligently over Hermione.

Sirius swung his eyes to the twins. "How is it that every time she is with you two, Hermione somehow ends up hurt?"

The twins' eyes narrowed on the young Black. "I wouldn't go down that path if I were you," Gideon warned softly.

Sirius looked as if he were about to retort when James laid a hand on his shoulder. "Let it go mate, it won't help to fight amongst ourselves." He could see when Sirius finally relented as he shifted his gaze back to Hermione with his jaw clenched. James looked back to the twins who were anxiously waiting for positive word from his wife on Hermione's state. "What happened," he asked them.

There was a pause before Fabian finally answered. "We destroyed all the Horcruxes tonight."

"All of them?" Sirius asked suddenly. His gaze swung back to the twins in shock. "Don't tell me she handled _all_ of them."

"No," Fabian reassured, at which Sirius let out a breath of relief. "But she had to take care of two, which even Moody and Dumbledore hadn't been able to do alone."

"How does she keep doing all these feats of magic?" Remus asked in awe.

"It's Harry," James intoned quietly, looking down at his son. "Her Harry, at least. It must be why she's been so resilient."

"Or she's just bloody powerful," mumbled Sirius under his breath.

"Touché," mumbled James, his eyes sweeping over the unconscious girl once again.

They all waited anxiously for the next hour, Remus diligently helping Lily, James keeping his son distracted and calm, Sirius and Gideon both pacing like caged animals, and Fabian sitting as still as a statue with his eyes glued on Hermione's closed eyes. When Lily eventually stepped back with a weary sigh, she practically had to shoo the boys away to give Hermione some space. She assured them there was nothing they could do but wait for her to wake as her body healed.

So they continued waiting, respectfully withdrawing to the kitchen so they weren't hovering over Hermione's body. Every now and then they would take turns drifting back into the sitting room to check on her, and each time they'd come back with the same disappointed shake of the head. It was hours later, around dawn when things finally changed. Fabian and Gideon were both passed out at the kitchen table. Lily had taken Harry upstairs not too long ago to get a few hours of shut eye. Remus was quietly reading with a cup of hot cocoa, and Sirius was just staring blankly out the window. James had just poured himself a cup of hot cocoa, aimlessly wandering into the sitting room while sipping on the soothing drink.

He crossed the threshold only to nearly choke at the sight of Hermione sitting up on the couch, wincing as she struggled to climb to her feet.

"Bloody hell, Hermione!" James spewed, dropping his cup on a nearby table before he rushed to her side, gently guiding her back onto the couch. Hermione stared at him slack-jawed. "Give it a moment, would ya? You had quite a night."

Hermione merely gawked at him, searching for something in his features that he couldn't quite place his finger on.

"What?" James finally asked, getting antsy.

A nostalgic grin spread across her face as she gazed at James fondly. "You don't know how much you reminded me of Harry just then."

"Oh," James said blankly, not entirely sure how to react to that. "Well if that makes you listen to me, by all means."

"Nice try," she said, making an effort to get up unsteadily once again.

"Hermione-"

"If you don't want me to fall over then just help me," she said cheekily.

James immediately rushed to her side, supporting her by letting her lean her weight on his arm. He led her into the kitchen cautiously, glancing at her like he expected her to fall over. Remus glanced up quickly at their entrance, his eyes instinctively returning to his book before he did a double take.

"Hermione!" Remus exclaimed softly.

Sirius's gaze snapped to the doorway, his eyes sweeping over Hermione trying to discern her state. Fabian and Gideon stirred awake, surprised to find Hermione up.

"Hermione," Fabian exclaimed, sliding out of his seat. "Why are you up? You should still be resting." He led her to his vacated seat, herding her to sit down.

"I'm alright, I promise," Hermione insisted hoarsely. They all looked at her dubiously and she rolled her eyes. "At least I will be! I'm just tired and sore, but I'll be fine."

They all seemed to reluctantly accept her answer even though Fabian muttered something about her needing to hibernate under his breath.

"How long have you been here?" Hermione asked the twins. "You two look pretty terrible."

Gideon scoffed at her bluntness. "You're one to talk. Besides, we were waiting for you to wake up."

"Well I'm awake and in good hands. Go, get some rest." When the twins opened their mouths simultaneously, a retort on the tips of their tongue, Hermione rushed ahead of them. "In your _own_ beds."

Fabian chuckled sheepishly at her attitude. She was clearly feeling well enough to mother them as normal, so they respected that she probably needed time to recover without everyone hovering around her. The twins rose, prepared to leave, but Fabian turned at the last moment to assess the remaining three in the room. His eyes swept over Sirius and James dismissively before settling in on Remus.

"You, take care of her," Fabian said sternly.

"We're all taking care of her," James said wryly.

"Yeah, well the wolf here has the best track record out of the rest of you gits," Gideon said with biting sarcasm. Even though he said it in a joking manner, they could hear the underlying reprimand in his tone, and Sirius and James averted their eyes guiltily.

"Thank the little Potter for us," Fabian told them with a grin.

"My son...?" James asked befuddled, mussing his hair in confusion.

"No-" Gideon laughed rolling his eyes. "The other one."

Hermione chuckled along with them. "Lily doesn't take kindly to being called little," she warned them.

They merely shrugged mischievously, taking their leave. She sat in silence for a moment, feeling James, Remus, and Sirius all watching her closely. She could feel their over protectiveness practically suffocating her, which was honestly disconcerting with how indifferent they'd been towards her just a few weeks ago.

"Don't say it," she warned when James hesitantly opened his mouth to say something probably along the lines of how she should lie down.

Remus calmly sat across from her on the table, handing her a cup of cocoa. "Drink, you'll feel better."

Hermione grinned, accepting the drink graciously. "Still the best advice you've given me to this day," she mumbled in content.

"So... the Horcruxes are gone?" James finally asked. "You-Know-Who is mortal?"

Hermione nodded, studying the liquid in her cup. "It was easier than I expected, all things considered." When the boys blanched at her, she hastened to elaborate. "In my time, we were on the run for months, and we'd still only discovered about half of them, much less destroyed them. But then again, I guess there are fewer Horcruxes this time around..."

"That doesn't change the fact that you finally finished it off," Sirius finally spoke up. "You did what you set out to do."

Hermione nodded pensively. "I did."

"What now?" Remus asked.

"Now? Now we kill Voldemort." They all cringed when she said his name and she rolled her eyes. "Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself."

"Just as well, he's someone to be feared, whether he's a psychopathic maniac or not," James said seriously.

"Not really," Hermione pondered out loud. "After all he's only a half blood with serious psychological problems. He's human now too, so it's not like he can't be killed."

"He's a half blood?" Sirius asked in surprise. "What a load of bloody hypocrites," he muttered under his breath.

"Bigots always tend to be," Hermione agreed. After a bout of silence, she rose to her feet. "I should go check in with Dumbledore."

"Get some rest first," James insisted.

"I'm fine-"

"Hermione, it's barely the crack of dawn," Sirius said pragmatically. "You're better off going after a few hours anyway."

Hermione frowned, realizing they were probably right. Besides, if she looked any bit as haggard as she felt, she should probably clean up a little as well.

"Right," she acknowledged. "Well I'll go back to the burrow then-"

"Stay," Sirius interrupted abruptly. "Stay here. We know what happened anyway, we can take care of you."

Hermione studied him doubtfully, her gaze glancing between the earnest faces of the Marauders. "No that's okay," she said slowly. "There's only two bedrooms here and you all need rest too."

"But you're still not recovered-" Remus began.

"I've been alone for a while now," Hermione said with a bitter bite underlying her tired voice. "I'll be fine."

The boys all flinched at her implication, looking at her apologetically.

"Hermione-" James began slowly.

"It's fine-" Hermione cut him off.

"No, it's not!" James insisted, speaking over her. "I know we were really unfair to you, and I apologize for that. I know we can't really do anything to change it or make up for it, but I promise you're not in this alone anymore."

Hermione shook her head sadly. "I don't blame you for not wanting to believe me, I was a stranger to you even if you all weren't strangers to me. But even if you hadn't been difficult... it's not the same. I might know some of you from my time, but you were my mentors back then. I guess you could say I never _truly_ knew you, so it wasn't that much of a disappointment."

"Well then you have exceptionally low expectations of others," Sirius said dryly.

"It's easier that way," Hermione shrugged nonchalantly.

"Hermione you're not doing this alone," Remus insisted.

"I know that, even I'm not stupid enough to believe I could do this all myself. Which is why I'm telling you, I'm fine," she said once again.

"We really are sorry," James said guiltily.

"And you're forgiven," Hermione said easily. "But that doesn't mean we owe each other anything."

Sirius sighed in frustration, and Hermione quickly took the opportunity to leave, knowing they were unlikely to agree on the matter. When the flames of the Floo finally dissipated with Hermione's departure, the boys turned to look at each other.

"Do you think she was that stubborn with my son?" James asked.

"Stubborn? I have no doubt," Remus said. "But I don't think she was ever distant from them, at least not from the memories she showed us."

"No, we just messed up colossally and she's trying to make it so we don't have the opportunity to disappoint her again," Sirius said.

 **~o~o~o~**

When Hermione arrived back at the Burrow, she managed to sneak upstairs as no one was awake yet. She shakily climbed the stairs, her strength quickly deteriorating; the boys were right she was not yet recovered. Wearily making her way into her room, she impatiently shuffled through her purple beaded bag, trying to find her own stock of potions. When she finally managed to slip one of the draughts through her lips with trembling fingers, she slumped onto the floor in relief.

While she'd reserved herself to the reality of her being stuck in this time, it was a hard pill to swallow at the end of the day, especially in moments like these when she was tired and vulnerable.

But she'd rather feel alone voluntarily than come to depend on them and feel the disappointment of realizing again that she was the only puzzle piece that didn't fit.

 **~o~o~o~**

 **~ Hogwarts**

True to her word, Hermione forced herself to rest for a few more hours before arranging to go to Hogwarts around noon. She Floo'd straight to Dumbledore's office to find him patiently waiting for her at his desk. He welcomed her with a benevolent smile, but unlike normal he failed to offer her some manner of tea or sweets, getting straight to the heart of the matter.

"Are you alright, Miss Granger?"

"I am," she nodded reassuringly. Dumbledore seemed appeased by her assurances, nodding absentmindedly. "We did it, Professor. We've already completed half the fight."

"Indeed we did, but at quite a cost," Dumbledore studied her sadly.

"Sir?" Hermione asked in confusion. "I admit, it was harder than I expected for any of us to control the Fiendfyre, but we all made it out relatively okay."

"As concerned as I was about you as well, Miss Granger, that was not what I was referring to."

"Sir...?"

Dumbledore took a deep breath, delivering his next words very frankly. "Severus was called out by Voldemort last night, immediately after we destroyed the last of the Horcruxes."

Hermione's stomach dropped to her feet as the color drained from her face. "Did he... Is he alive?"

"He is," Dumbledore assured, and Hermione sucked in a sharp breath of air from relief. "But his cover is also blown. Voldemort found out he'd aided us when he vetted what spells each of his death eaters had recently cast.c

"Right, he'd helped me with the Fiendfyre. But then how..." Hermione felt guilty about completing that sentence, but she knew it was realistic to ask how in the world Snape managed to make it out alive even after Voldemort found out about his betrayal.

"Severus barely managed to escape, and probably the only thing to keep him alive was the fact that he managed to make it within the protective barriers of Hogwarts."

"Where is-"

"The hospital wing," Dumbledore answered patiently, already anticipating Hermione's instinctive question. "Madam Pomfrey has been watching over him."

"Right, of course," Hermione murmured.

"As soon as he is recovered enough, I was planning on inducting him into the Order." He studied Hermione, trying to gauge her reaction, but she merely nodded vigorously.

"Of course, he has no one else to turn to and he just proved he is on our side."

"I was hoping you would see it that way," Dumbledore said with a twinkling gaze. "Severus will need an ally in the Order when we finally introduce him to the others. As the Prewett brothers have already said, he doesn't have the best public history with the rest of the members."

Hermione nodded in understanding. "I will do what I can, but I'm a bit of an outcast myself, I'm not sure what I can do for him."

"You underestimate how important you are to them already," Dumbledore said knowingly. "Besides, it takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends."

Hermione smiled nostalgically at the familiar wisdom. "You haven't changed a bit, Professor," Hermione said fondly. "I won't let you down."

With Dumbledore's permission, Hermione decided she would go down and see Snape. If anything, she owed him her thanks for helping her in the final stretch of destroying that last Horcrux. She had little doubt in her mind that she'd be burned to a crisp if he hadn't stepped in when he did.

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore called out as she was about to go down to the hospital wing. "I have something for you."

She walked back to him curiously and he gently placed a small stone into the palm of her hand. Hermione looked up at him questioningly.

"It's the Resurrection Stone," he said, staring at it. "I've already seen what I needed to, and I thought you might like an opportunity with it."

Hermione almost wanted to hand it back immediately; she was terrified that she'd turn the stone and no one would appear because even though her Harry and Ron had died, they weren't technically dead now. That would only mean the people she'd known had disappeared right out of existence, and that was a reality she wasn't quite ready to face.

"I thought you would want more time with it," Hermione asked instead.

Dumbledore frowned uncharacteristically. "I've gotten all the answers I ever wanted, and as much as part of me would like to hold onto it forever, it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

The statement echoed within Hermione, because that was essentially what she'd been doing in not allowing herself to truly settle into the time and community here.

"Well... I'll keep it safe should you ever need it again," she reassured.

 **~o~o~o~**

 **~ Hogwarts Hospital Wing**

"Hello Madam Pomfrey," Hermione greeted.

"Hello dear," she said, looking at her curiously. "Do I know you?"

"No, I don't suppose we've officially met," she smiled. "I'm Hermione Dumbledore."

"Oh yes, of course, what can I do for you dear?"

"I was actually hoping to see Snape."

"Severus?" Madam Pomfrey asked in surprise, her eyebrow quirking up. "Are you sure you're here for the right person?" She chuckled softly.

"I'm sure," Hermione responded uncertainly.

"Well I'm sure he'll be glad to see you, he's had a tough night, he could use some support. Even back in Hogwarts he was alone too often whenever he got sent here."

"Did he get sent in often?"

"Oh all the time," she tutted disapprovingly. "Always fights with the Gryffindors. And after his one friend stopped coming with him, he was always alone after that."

"He had a close friend?" Hermione asked surprised.

"Oh yes, the tiny redhead girl, such a sweetheart she was. It was a shame he lost her, I think she brought out the softer side of him."

"Oh no, did she pass away?" That would certainly explain why Snape always seemed so bitter and cold.

"No, she didn't, they probably just drifted apart. Anyway, go on in and see him, he's on the far bed near the windows," Madam Pomfrey instructed, shuffling back into her office.

She approached the far bed that was hidden behind the standard white curtains drawn up around him. When a soft breeze swept through the open window, the curtain parted enough for Hermione to glimpse Snape sitting upright in his bed, staring blankly out the window. She only saw him for a second before the fabric fluttered back into place, but she could already tell he looked awful. There were bruises creeping up the edges of the collar to his shirt, and his complexion appeared dangerously pale.

She cautiously stepped through the curtains and she could see his back stiffen when he noticed her presence. Turning to look at her, an automatic sneer settled into his features. Apparently some things never changed. However, even though he exuded the perfect image of haughty collectedness, Hermione could tell from the subtle twitch of his muscles and the hollowness in his normally biting gaze that something was off.

"Hi," she began dumbly, uncertain of what else to say.

"Do you have a reason for being here?" He asked pretentiously.

Hermione's lips set into a hard line as his snip made her even more determined to be there. She sat down at his bed side chair and studied the image just outside the window; the absolute picture of peace and serenity: a cool autumn breeze ruffling an array of colored leaves and the lazy waves of the Black Lake.

"Do you feel alright?" Hermione asked cordially.

"I would feel much better if you left," he said coldly, looking away and back out the window.

After a slight pause, Hermione finally worked up the courage to address the elephant in the room. "You know I have a draught you can mix into your baths to help with the spasms from the curse."

Snape turned a sharp, unforgiving gaze on Hermione. "I. Beg. Your. Pardon?"

Even though this Snape would've had a younger Hermione shaking in fear, somehow the charcoal grey hospital pajamas softened his intimidating aura.

"The Cruciatus Curse," Hermione specified. "I have some things that can help with the lingering effects."

"And what would you know about it, you foolish little girl?" He bit out.

Hermione smiled sadly, absently rubbing the sleeve under which her scar rested. "More than I'd like to."

He blinked in momentary confusion, surprised by how refreshingly calm she remained despite his constant efforts to get rid of her. ' _She must not be a Gryffindor,'_ he thought.

"I would tread very carefully if I were you," he threatened lowly. "Otherwise you might be the next Order member to meet their unfortunate end."

To his utmost bafflement, Hermione started laughing loudly right in his face. "W-wow you haven't c-changed at all," she huffed between chuckles, clutching her stomach. "You still speak with that ominous tone and dramatic pauses between phrases."

Snape's eyebrows rose straight up to his hairline, and he couldn't tell whether to knock the girl off her chair or sputter in indignation. When he opened his mouth to do a combination of both, Hermione merely interrupted him once more.

"Honestly, you terrified me before in my time, but now that we're more similar in age I can't help but find this rather amusing."

He opened his mouth once again, but her next words stopped him in his tracks.

"You know you were the meanest Professor I'd ever met? Not because you were tough, because I could and did respect that; you were just making us better wizards in the long run. But you were unnecessarily cruel. You would pick on people and taunt them, and that was something I never understood. Being cold and aloof is one thing but you were just a bully. Could you imagine," she chuckled softly. "I was in an entirely new world figuring out magic for the first time, and you were always looming over me trying to knock me down in every class- even if I did have all the right answers."

Snape gawked at her for a split second before his facade settled in again. "Well," he said in that same aloof tone. "Maybe I simply couldn't stand that a _Mudblood_ was daring to stir up trouble in _my_ class."

Snape wasn't sure what kind of reaction he expected from her. Maybe a flinch? Maybe an outraged cry? Maybe he expected her to storm away disparaging his character like Lily had done? Nothing prepared him for the way she met his eyes with a truly Slytherin smirk of her own.

"You know," she said knowingly. "Out of all of the complaints you had about me, and trust me you made them quite clear, absolutely none of them had to do with my blood status."

When he fell silent at her insightful remark, she sighed in amusement.

"People were always quick to think the worst of you," she recalled, thinking back to how they blamed Snape for aiding Voldemort their first year when he was really protecting Harry all along. "But you always proved us wrong. Even being as rude and surly as you were, you _always_ came through when people were counting on you."

Snape watched Hermione silently, clearly unhappy with how much she seemed to know about him. When he said nothing and just glared at her stubbornly, she finally got up to leave with a sigh. As she parted the curtain around the bed to leave, she turned around one last time, hesitating in saying something that was on the tip of her tongue.

"Dumbledore is eventually going to induct you into the Order... And there will probably be times when you question why you chose to turn sides with how people treat you. Hell, I'm sure you're questioning it even as you lay here. But just..." she looked up at him hesitantly. "Just know you're not alone. And we do appreciate the choices you've made and will make."

Long after Hermione left, Severus continued to stare at the part in the curtains where she'd previously stood. Severus Snape did not like mysteries. They were unpredictable. And Hermione Granger had just become an enigma.


	19. Old Enemies

**CHAPTER NINETEEN: OLD ENEMIES**

 **~ The Burrow**

"Hermione! I'm so glad you're feeling better!" A young woman with vibrant red hair cried before rushing into Hermione's arms. She drew back, scanning Hermione from head to toe. "You are better right?"

"Yes," Hermione responded, chuckling in amusement. "I'm fine Lily, good as new."

It was another Order dinner at the Burrow and the place was buzzing with people. Word had spread about the major strides made in defeating Voldemort; now that the Horcruxes were gone they had decided that it was okay to reveal the truth of the matter to the rest of the Order. However, as Dumbledore recommended, Hermione's identity was still kept tightly under wraps.

James came around, juggling a fussy Harry in his arms. "Hey Hermione," he greeted distractedly as he wrestled his glasses out of his son's tiny fingers while Harry merely giggled in merriment at his father's distress.

"James, Harry," she coed, drawing the baby's attention.

Upon seeing Hermione, baby Harry's features immediately lit up and his arms came up in the time old gesture to be picked up. She looked at James for permission but he was looking at his son in amusement, giving Hermione an encouraging smile. When she gently pulled Harry to come rest on her hip, his hands immediately latched around her neck like a monkey.

"My!" he gurgled. "My! Mymymymymy!"

"Well hello to you too," she said dramatically back at the child, making him giggle in glee.

James and Lily watched the pair fondly as Lily stepped back into the warm embrace of her husband.

"Hey, maybe you should babysit the little devil more often," James said jokingly. "He seems like he's always on his best behavior for _you._ "

"Oy!" A familiar voice cried out. "Everyone knows _I'm_ Harry's favorite!"

"I think you've been replaced, Padfoot," Remus said in amusement, joining their little circle from the opposite direction.

Hermione looked at the group congregated around her, surprised by everyone's sudden appearance. They'd simply materialized on cue even despite not hearing any of their previous conversation.

"How do you all _do_ that?"

"Animagi," the boys all smirked cockily. Lily made eye contact with Hermione, subtly rolling her eyes.

"She's a girl, it doesn't count," Sirius insisted. "Clearly we're raising Harry to be a charmer, so obviously he's going to bring out the big guns for Hermione."

"Do you even know what guns are?" Hermione asked dryly.

He shot her an unamused look, as if to say 'who do you take me for?'

"I mean it's true, Harry only has one Godfather," Lily said innocently. "But he always has room in his life for a Godmother," she continued, smiling mischievously.

"Urm..." Hermione said hesitantly, looking back at James hesitantly. She knew they'd technically resolved all their misunderstandings, but she still felt like she walked on eggshells around them sometimes. James' eyes grew comically large, making Hermione's stomach sink in anxiety. But he surprised her when he picked Lily up, spinning her with a bark of laughter.

"I always knew you were a genius, witch. I mean what better candidate is there? She literally traveled across time for our baby," he said gleefully, turning to Hermione with a wide and uninhibited smile.

"You can't be serious," Hermione said in disbelief.

"No of course not," Sirius snapped, before a grin broke out over his face. " _I'm_ Sirius."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well it's a bit ironic consider the type of Godfather you're going to be."

Sirius frowned in a pout. "I mean, you're not wrong, but he has you to be the grounded Godparent. _Someone_ has to teach the kid how to have fun."

"Wait," Hermione said quickly. "This isn't _actually_ happening, right?"

Remus struggled to hold back his laughter at Hermione's utter confusion and panic. "Oh I wouldn't underestimate this lot if I were you."

"B-but-"

"Relax, 'Mione," Lily said with a serene smile. She easily took Harry back as the baby started fussing for his mother. "You can think about it for as long as you need. But the offer is 100% serious. Literally. The job comes with its own Sirius."

Sirius perked up at Lily's pun, his eyes shining and his posture alert and peppy- like a puppy waiting to be acknowledged. Hermione couldn't help but grin at the group, feeling her heart softening a touch despite her better judgement. But then again was she really surprised by the intense loyalty that countered their stubborn grudges? Harry had told her how mean they were to Snape back at Hogwarts, and she really shouldn't have expected them to go lightly on someone they perceived to be against their unit or anyone in it.

"Oh my gosh, have you guys heard?" Marlene cried, rushing over to their circle. "Dumbledore and them destroyed multiple parts of You-Know-Who's soul!"

"Yeah," Sirius said grinning. "This Dumbledore in particular did half the work," he bragged as he nudged Hermione with his shoulder.

"No way!" Marlene turned her awed eyes on Hermione, which caught her off guard. "That's wicked! But you're so young? Must be in your blood, you're a Dumbledore through and through!"

Hermione smiled shyly, shaking her head. "It was really Moody," she insisted. "He was the one who trained me to begin with."

The others rolled their eyes dismissively at her humbleness, which Marlene definitely noticed.

"Wow," she whistled lowly. "I knew you must be a solid character after that night on the staircase, but if these guys think so highly of you, you must be a keeper."

Hermione forced a polite smile while Sirius and Lily stiffened. Marlene caught Sirius' arm casually, not even drawing her attention away from Hermione. Lily's eyes flew to Hermione in concern and Sirius averted his gaze to anything but a set of eyes. But Hermione could tell that Marlene's gestures seemed to be completely harmless.

"You're around our age, right?" She continued obliviously. "I wonder which Hogwarts house you would've been in."

"Gryffindor," Hermione said conversationally. "Uncle Albus let me try on the Sorting Hat once."

Remus quirked his eyebrow at her as Marlene began to gush about how they were just meant to meet because they'd all been Gryffindors too. Hermione shrugged discreetly. If she had to fit in with a group of strangers in a foreign time, there was no way she was discarding one of the few parts of her identity that helped her relate to them. As Hermione listened to Marlene's animated rant on their time at Hogwarts, she could already tell that the girl was spunky and kind-hearted, and honestly reminded her a bit of Parvati.

But as they continued their conversation, Sirius discreetly withdrew his arm from her grip, which gave Marlene a short pause. She quickly chose to look past it, visibly shaking her head to refocus herself on Hermione. It was at this point Hermione could feel the tension sinking in, so she took the chance to excuse herself so she could go say hi to the Prewett twins.

"Why do you look like you're running from Salazar Slytherin himself?" Gideon said in amusement as Hermione rushed her way over to them.

"I'm trying _not_ to get caught up in drama," Hermione said, sighing when she finally reached the shelter of their company.

Gideon looked back towards the group she'd come from, frowning when he saw Sirius and Marlene speaking slightly tensely while James, Remus, and Lily awkwardly witnessed their conversation. Gideon's eyes lingered on the raven haired beauty for a second before his eyes flitted back to Hermione.

"Well you must have left it in your wake," he told her, gesturing back at the group.

Hermione glanced back with wide eyes only to snap back around. "Nope, not my doing," she insisted. "Anyway how are you both?"

Fabian laughed at her pathetic attempt to shift the conversation but threw her a bone regardless. "We should be asking you that! But either way, we heard Dumbledore is introducing that spy into our ranks today."

"Spy? Snape?"

"Yeah," Fabian frowned. "I don't know why he didn't just leave the git to the snakes."

"Fabian!" Hermione cried indignantly, drawing a few pairs of eyes before she lowered her voice.

"I'm only joking!" He defended, but Hermione remained unfazed. "Okay not really, but honestly has he truly done enough to prove his loyalty?"

"He stepped in and probably saved my life," Hermione pointed out.

"And that's the only reason why I won't be hexing him when he shows up today," Fabian said petulantly. He glanced to his brother, who was still distractedly watching the group of Marauders.

"Oh no," Fabian murmured. "Looks like your kids have really done it now..."

Hermione turned just in time to see Marlene quickly striding away from Sirius, who looked disturbed. Lily, James, and Remus had long disappeared from their proximity, probably wanting to give them some privacy to talk. Seeing Marlene's quivering lip and stubbornly set face, Hermione could only guess at what just happened.

 **~o~o~o~**

"Is everything alright?" Marlene asked Sirius.

"Fine," Sirius said evasively, forcing a casualness to his voice.

"Okay... but you seem uncomfortable holding my hand?"

"We're not-" he paused, clearly flustered. "I thought you realized we weren't getting into anything serious," Sirius finally sighed.

There was a second in which he could see the hope leave her eyes as cold reality washed over Marlene. She opened her mouth but no words came out as she blankly stared at him in disbelief.

"We... we've been doing this on and off since Hogwarts. Why _can't_ we be something more?" She asked logically.

"Mar..." Sirius pleaded, "I've asked you every time whether we were still on the same page about this."

"But still!" She cried with a quiet outburst. "If you had no intention of taking it further you shouldn't have kept coming back. You should've had the courtesy to not keep me wondering!"

"I asked you _every_ time."

"I wasn't going to say no; I've liked you since Hogwarts!" She whisper-yelled indignantly. "And you've known that! A good friend would step back if he knew he didn't want anything more. If it really was just about a shag, you should've found it with someone who didn't think so highly of you!"

"I thought since you chose it, you'd be okay," he said guiltily.

"Well I'm not," she whispered in disappointment. "Far from it."

"I'm sorry," he said lowly. "I really did think you were okay with it. If I knew, I would take it back."

"It's a little late for that," Marlene said stiffly. She could see the panic in Sirius' eyes as he realized the gravity of his short-sighted choices. "But I guess it's not entirely your fault," she admitted sadly. "I've been lying to both of us for the better part of a year."

"I'm always here for you, Marlene," Sirius said sincerely, ducking to catch her gaze, gently tucking a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. "You're one of those people who've come to mean the world to me. But... it's never been like _that_ for me."

She nodded, biting her lip to keep them from trembling. She took a deep breath, releasing it with a tired sigh. "I just need... time. I think a part of me always knew it, but hope is a cruel mirage."

Sirius nodded understandingly, watching her features carefully. Her meticulously controlled emotions were lying just beneath the surface of her calmness. Before she could start crying in front of the entire Order, Marlene turned abruptly, making her way away from the crowded room.

 **~o~o~o~**

It was just after dinner time, right as everyone was fed and appeased, when Dumbledore decided to drop the bomb. When he apparated into the Burrow with Snape, there was a split second of horror filled silence before practically everyone was on their feet with their wands drawn. Hermione watched in amusement and reluctant respect when Snape didn't even flinch, staring stonily at the army of Order members with their wands trained on him.

"Everyone, wands down," Dumbledore commanded in an even voice.

"Have you lost it?" Kingsley said, looking back to Snape in shock.

Fabian and Gideon were towards the back of the room, leaned against the wall, clearly happy to sit and let this play out even though they knew the truth. Moody was also quiet, even though Hermione could tell he was alert and ready to intervene if necessary.

"I would like to introduce you all to the newest Order member-"

"Do you think he's been Imperiused?" Sirius asked very solemnly.

There was an immediate buzz of chatter as people started demanding Dumbledore be checked for the curse and Snape be apprehended immediately. Hermione could feel people's anxiety running out of control so she smoothly stood, going to stand subtly in front of Snape and Dumbledore, drawing the attention to her.

"It's true, he's been on our side for a while now," she reassured. "Most of you must have heard about the mission we recently completed of destroying pieces of Voldemort's soul. Well it wouldn't have been possible without Snape."

There was a brief pause of shock before everyone started chattering again.

"They've gone and infiltrated the Order!"

"Oh dear, do we need to evacuate the Burrow?" Molly asked worriedly.

"We can get information out of him!" One member called out.

"ENOUGH!" Dumbledore bellowed. "While I understand the cause of your concern, we already have witnesses that can both verify Snape's involvement as well as my sanity of mind."

Fabian and Gideon stepped forward, both sporting amused grins. "That would be us," they said in unison.

"I've seen it too," Moody finally spoke up. "For God's sake, put your wands away!" He commanded gruffly.

Everyone reluctantly lowered their wands, eyeing Snape warily.

"But why would he switch," a quiet girl called from the crowd. Hermione looked over to the small woman with mousy brown hair. "Everyone knows he hated the Gryffindors from our year, and they all joined the Order."

"Old school rivalries are hardly a reason to resort to give yourself to the darkest wizard of this generation, Hestia," Minerva reprimanded, even despite not knowing the whole story yet.

"But he did," Sirius said in a hard voice. "He did hate us in school, and he eventually did join the Death Eaters."

"People can change," Hermione said pointedly.

"But why would he switch?" Gideon asked in a matter of fact tone. "I know he proved he's on our side but why? There's no lost love for him on this end of the war."

"My wife," James said in a quiet voice.

Everyone looked over to the Marauders standing together in shock.

"James-" Lily whispered urgently, silently begging him with her eyes to stop.

"It's true, Lils, he's always had a soft spot for you, even after you two fell out," he insisted.

Hermione's eyes flew back to Snape in amazement, but he stubbornly avoided her gaze. Snape and Lily Potter? _Lily_ was the redhead Madam Pomfrey had been going on about? She'd never had any idea they had history together. That certainly would explain why he'd always seemed to inconspicuously look after Harry, her, and Ron during their years at Hogwarts.

"Well whatever the reason, he's a valuable asset to our team," Dumbledore insisted. "And that's the end of it."

"But how can we trust he's not evil?" Kingsley argued. "If we're expected to fight by his side in battle, how am I supposed to trust he won't turn on us?"

"How about a patronus?" A quiet, short girl recommended from the back. Hermione instantly recognized her as the young Mary McDonald that they'd rescued from the ministry during their year on the run.

"Oh please, he'll probably get eaten by his own maggots," Fabian joked.

"Exactly," Mary pointed out. "If he's good, we'll have proof, and he'll be fine. If he's not... well then I guess he'll pay for his sins."

The girl shrank back a little at the daggers Snape was shooting her way, but stood her ground. He glared at everyone stonily as the Order members turned to look at him expectantly.

"Well?" Kingsley said. "Get on with it."

When Snape remained silent, everyone became restless.

"It's not worth it," Sirius insisted. "There's no way he can be trus-"

Just before Sirius could finish his sentence, Snape withdrew his wand, swishing it in graceful arching motions, wordlessly summoning a film of silver mist. It swirled at the tip of his wand before dancing around the room and its occupants and materializing into a small ball of light at the center of the room near Hermione. Everyone speechlessly watched as the ball of light danced and shifted into a tall and elegant doe, standing proudly at attention. When Snape finally released the spell, people's words failed them. Even Hermione, who finally realized her long misjudged potions master had the same doe patronus as the mysterious person who led them to the sword of Gryffindor, was at a loss for words.

When she finally looked at him, she could see the flicker of gaunt despair behind his facade of coldness and immediately snapped to action.

"Now that you all have your _proof,_ " she said pointedly, "let's let this matter rest."

While most Order members seemed reluctantly accepting, Lily looked absolutely stricken while the other Marauders appeared concerned.

"Well if you were on our side this entire time, why didn't you warn us about Pettigrew?" Arthur asked.

"I didn't know." Snape finally spoke in a bored tone. Before anyone could voice their incredulous doubts, he continued. "The dark lord never shares all his information with anyone. If he had a mole as deeply imbedded as Pettigrew no doubt was, he wouldn't compromise that by telling his other followers."

"Oh like you no doubt are trying to do," Sirius snipped.

"Sirius." Hermione warned in a low tone. She shook her head at him, pleading with her eyes for him to drop it. He merely glared at her briefly before falling silent.

"Severus has done plenty to prove himself, and if you don't trust him, I will ask you all to trust me instead," Dumbledore said with a note of finality.

While most of the Order begrudgingly seemed to accept this as they dispersed back to the gathering, they were slightly less cheerful than before, everyone confused at the turn of events. When Hermione looked back to the marauders, the boys were studying each other stonily, communicating silently in the way she would often do with Harry. But Lily's eyes were still stricken as they flew across the room. Following her gaze, Hermione turned just in time to see Snape leaving down the hall in a flurry of robes.

 **~o~o~o~**

"They'll come around with time, they just need to see you've changed."

Snape's spine stiffened at Hermione's voice. She found him in a small study in the Burrow, standing in front of the fireplace and studying the flames. When she walked up to stand beside him, he seemed to struggle with himself for a moment.

"I'm not sure I have changed," he finally admitted wearily.

Hermione looked over to him, slightly surprised at his honesty. After all, this was the man who'd been as telling about his emotions as a brick wall.

"Well..." she began carefully, "As far as I know, you seem to be a decent man right now, and the man I knew in the future was a complicated, but brave man. So if you think you haven't changed, then you've had good in you all along."

Snape glanced over to her in surprise. He couldn't remember the last time someone had called him good or brave. Not smart, not intelligent, not resourceful or useful, but genuinely good. Probably around third year before Lily started getting suspicious of his Slytherin friends.

As if reading his mind, Hermione couldn't help the next question that spilled from her lips. "So... Lily?"

Snape's eyes shuttered the brief show of emotion as he tore his eyes away from hers and back to the fire. For a second she thought she'd pushed him too far and he wouldn't answer her. But after a few seconds of painful silence he finally spoke.

"She was my only friend going into Hogwarts. And even after all these years she's one of the few genuinely good people who've passed through my life. When I realized she was going to die because of some trivial prophecy, I couldn't just stand by and let it happen."

"Did you love her?"

Snape's gaze snapped to hers in annoyance and a bit of anger. He was clearly uncomfortable with the probing questions into his personal life. Before he could snap out the sharp retort that was bound to be on the tip of his tongue, the door to the room creaked open and they both swiveled their heads to see Remus cautiously entering the room.

"Hermione," he nodded with warm eyes before his gaze passed over Snape in uncertainty. "I just wanted to check on you."

"Of course," Snape sneered. "Making sure the big bad Death Eater hadn't killed her by now? Though I have to say Lupin, with your... condition... I'm not sure I'm the threat here."

Remus frowned at Snape's jab, but before he could respond, Hermione smacked Snape's arm. _Hard._

"Don't you dare try and demean Remus," Hermione said heatedly. "I won't have yo-"

"It's okay, Hermione." Remus interrupted her, studying Snape pensively. "There's a lot of bad history between us, his behavior isn't as uncouth as it may seem."

Hermione gaped in indignation and Snape's eyes widened in surprise as Remus stepped towards him, squaring his shoulders as if bracing himself. Hermione realized in distant awe that Remus looked quite a lot like Harry in moments when he'd draw himself up to act maturely, sometimes beyond what should be expected of a boy his age.

"I know we didn't make life easy for you back in Hogwarts," Remus acknowledged, looking only at Snape now. "But I also know you gave just as good as you got."

"Your point, Lupin?" Snape drawled, even though his eyes were peaked in cautious interest.

"We're going to have to work together from now on, we are on the same side, after all. And I trust Dumbledore, and more importantly I've learned not to doubt Hermione," he said throwing a sheepish grin her way. "So I propose we call a truce. We're both adults now, there's no reason we can't be cordial," he finally said, sticking his hand out to Snape.

Snape studied the hand distastefully for a moment before there seemed to be a shift of reluctant acceptance in his features. "I suppose you're not wrong," he admitted, briefly taking Remus' hand.

Before he could pull away, Remus tightened his hold on the wizard and pulled him closer sharply. "But remember, if you give any of us a reason to doubt you or betray Hermione's trust in you, I'll make sure to come find you on a full moon," he warned lightly with a small smirk playing on his lips.

Snape pushed back with another sneer. "Noted."

"Remus, did you find her?" A soft voice called from the hall in dulcet tones.

Hermione immediately noticed as Snape stiffened rigidly. Lily walked into the room, freezing when she noticed the trio standing near the fire, her smile dropping as her eyes became pinned on Snape.

"Severus," she greeted softly.

"Lily," he responded, as uncertain as Hermione had ever heard him.

She shuffled uncomfortably for a second before striding further into the room. "I'm glad you're here," she said honestly. "It's about time you switched sides."

"How could I not," Snape said softly, his eyes not leaving hers. "You were my best friend."

Lily averted her eyes quickly, and Hermione watched the interaction between the two, slightly confused. When she looked to Remus, he merely shrugged in response.

"I'm sorry, but what happened between you two? Why'd you stop being friends?" Hermione asked hesitantly, hating to cut into the thick tension in the room with her seemingly awkward question.

"It's my fault," Snape said gruffly, "I was angry with some other Gryffindors, and Lily caught me right as I was being humiliated. And I lashed out at her." Snape gazed at Lily soulfully. "It one of my biggest regrets, to this day."

"It wasn't your fault, it was ours," Remus said shamefully. "Snape was minding his own business when James and Sirius blindsided him. It was two against one, and we didn't exactly make it easy for him."

"But regardless," Snape cut in disdainfully. "I should've _never_ called you that wretched word. I never believed it, not even for a second."

Lily gazed at her childhood friend sadly, her eyes flooding with unshed tears. "Oh Severus, it's been quite a while since I forgave you for calling me a Mudblood. After all, once you started sleeping outside the Gryffindor common room, it was quite clear you didn't give a shite about my blood status," she chucked sadly.

Hermione's jaw dropped as she struggled to contain her shock. _Snape? Sleeping outside Gryffindor tower to apologize?_

"Then why...?" he pleaded.

"I was being a coward," Lily admitted, glancing down at her shoes. "Even if you didn't mean it, every year you got closer to your Slytherin friends, and I was terrified of the path it would lead you down. I didn't want to stick around only to have you decide you were siding with a group that wanted people like me dead."

"Damn it, Lily," Snape ground out in frustration. "You silly girl," he said sadly, watching her in regret. "The main reason I joined them was so I would have the leverage to keep you safe, even if they did get to you."

The three Gryffindors froze in shock at his unexpected confession. Hermione's thoughts raced around her like a portkey.

"Then why?" Lily cried quietly, tears streaming down her face by this point She spoke, her voice growing more and more heated with each passing statement. "Why did you join them? Why not stay by my side? Why not fight for the light?"

"How could I?" He whispered. "You wouldn't let me stay by your side anymore. You were the _only_ good thing in my life, without you the darkness was the only thing I could turn to."

With a muffled sob, Lily tore across the room, throwing her arms around Snape's neck, pulling him into a crushing hug. He froze in disbelief for a brief moment before wrapping his arms around Lily in a vice-like grip, sinking into her embrace. Despite switching to the light side, this was the redemption that mattered the most to him- the ghost of Lily that haunted him to this day. Hermione felt her heart melt at the reunion, smiling sheepishly at Remus who returned her joy with a grin of his own. Even though it'd been years, he'd always felt a lot of guilt towards the boy Snape had been and his complacency in the events that lead to him and Lily parting; he always knew how much that friendship meant to her.

"I'm glad you're here," Lily said again when she finally withdrew slightly from Severus.

"Me too," he said, finally seeming content as he gazed down at her.

"Get your hands OFF. My. Wife." Everyone's gaze shot to the doorway where James was standing practically seething with anger.

"James," Lily tried to placate him.

"Get your hands off, before I hex them off Snivellus." James warned again, practically growling.

Sirius rushed into the room, almost running into James' back. His eyes widened at the tension in the room, quickly realizing what was happening.

"James!" Lily reprimanded. " _I_ hugged _him._ And besides, we're all on the same side now, it's time to put silly childhood rivalries to rest.

James flinched slightly, recoiling at her words. "Lils, how can you forgive him? He called you the M-word! He's a Death Eater!"

"Ex-Death Eater," Hermione corrected automatically, earning her a glare from the frustrated man.

"We were all children," Lily sighed finally. "And we all have regrets about how things went down. I'm choosing to put it behind us. You know how much my friendship with Severus meant to me."

Snape stood quietly at Lily's back, for once choosing not to goad them or instigate a fight like he was itching to do. Not now, not when Lily was defending him once again, after years of only being able to watch her at a distance.

"Bloody hell, Lily, you might have friendship in mind, but he clearly doesn't! His bloody patronus is the same as yours, clearly he's still in love with you!" James cried frustrated, running his hands through his hair in a habit similar to his son.

Lily paused at that before simply saying, "There are many types of love, James. Severus and I were childhood friends, there's a lot of deep bonds there."

James deflated at Lily's quiet defense of her old friend, the fight going out of him. He looked absolutely _gutted._

"You still love him too," he softly accused.

In the split second Lily hesitated, James turned on his heel, shoving past Sirius and straight out the door.

"James-" she called out in broken panic. But he didn't stop, nor did he come back.

Sirius looked between the others uncertainly before looking to Lily reassuringly. "I'll go after him, Red. Don't worry."

Seconds later, Lily was out the door, trying desperately to hold in her sobs.

 **~o~o~o~**

"Lily," Hermione whispered in concern.

She'd found the redhead in the same alcove that she'd fled to weeks before when Sirius had snapped at her. Not knowing how to console the upset witch, Hermione sank to the floor, sitting opposite her, simply keeping her company

"I couldn't find James," she hiccupped. "He wasn't even back at the Cottage; I don't know where else he would go."

"Was he right? Do you love Snape."

Lily raised her head to meet Hermione's eyes.

"I do," she admitted. "But Severus is practically like family. We grew up together, we spent summers together. He wasn't quite like a brother, but he was still _family_. Of course I loved him, and now that he's making amends, that love doesn't just go away."

"Oh Lily," Hermione cooed. "James will understand, you just need to tell him that."

"You know I've never seen him look so disappointed?" Lily said shakily. "When we were in Hogwarts, he would ask me out all the time, and every time I would reject him cruelly. But it never fazed him, not once." She exhaled unsteadily. "But that look he gave me when he stormed out..."

"You two are Lily and James Potter," Hermione emphasized. "Even in my time, even when you weren't around, we all heard about the golden couple the Potters made. I'm sure you'll work it out, you have to. He just needs to calm down."

"It has to," Lily agreed worriedly. "Hermione... I'm... I'm-"

"What is it, Lily?" Hermione coaxed softly.

Lily's mossy green eyes met hers in fear. "I'm pregnant."

Hermione felt the air escape her lungs all at once. "How long?"

"A little over two months?"

"Two months?" Hermione cried, quickly doing the math. "Merlin, Lily! That means you were already pregnant when I got here! Harry was meant to have a little sister or brother if Voldemort hadn't..."

Lily nodded, trying to stifle her tears. "I haven't told James. I only found out myself recently, I didn't get sickness this time around and with this war raging, I hadn't exactly been keeping track of my cycles."

"Lily," Hermione stressed, reaching forward to grab her hand reassuringly. "James is going to be thrilled. It'll be fine."

"But where is he? It's not safe out there," she whispered brokenly.

Hermione drew the trembling witch into her arms, soothing her. "He'll come back to you, he'll always find you."


	20. Happy Accidents

**CH** **APTER TWENTY: HAPPY ACCIDENTS**

 _ ***** Rated M for sexual content, read at your own discretion!**_

It was after he'd already checked Headquarters and Potter Cottage that Sirius started getting panicked. He stopped back by the Burrow briefly where one look at Lily's devastated expression told him James hadn't returned. He even checked Potter Manor, which had remained untouched since Fleamont and Euphemia Potter had been murdered in the dead of the night.

 _Come on, you old dog, you're his best mate,_ Sirius thought with frustration. _Where would he go?_

Sirius could only remember one other time when James had been panicked to the point of needing to run. The man rarely ever felt like he couldn't face Lily; she _was_ the love of his life, after all. He didn't even blink in the days leading up to his wedding. But the one other time the doubts paralyzed him was when his sweet wife told him about Harry. He'd taken one look at her before sending a panicked glance to her still-flat stomach and just turned and disapparated.

Knowing he was running out of options, Sirius turned and disapparated once more, praying to whatever gods he'd refused to believe in that James would be there.

Despite talking a big game, Sirius hadn't been to the muggle world much by himself. It was always in the company of his friends that he felt truly confident enough to navigate the large metropolitan area. So when he apparated into the alley behind a small muggle pub, his nerves were already getting the better of him. But when he peeked into the crowded establishment, his eyes immediately found his best friend sitting at the bar, his head drooped over a half finished drink, which was sitting alongside half a dozen empty glasses.

"Come on mate, time to get you home," Sirius said, elbowing James to rouse him from his stupor.

"Mm no-" James mumbled, swatting incoherently in his direction like one would a pesky fly. "Not ready to s-see her right now," he slurred.

Sirius rolled his eyes. He hadn't seen James this gone since he was trying to work up the courage to propose to Lily. Over the top of James' head, Sirius caught glimpse of a young muggle bird sending him _those_ eyes. Bedroom eyes. He'd seen his fair share of them. But tonight was not a night he could take up that offer.

"Come on, mate," Sirius said lowly, grabbing James' arm with an urgent insistence. "If you're not going back to Lily, then at least come to my place. You know it's not safe for you out in the open."

"Right, 's right," James mumbled, letting Sirius guide him out the door and into the alley as he apparated them both back to his flat.

With a great sigh, Sirius dumped James on his couch, collapsing on the chair next to him. Before he could even gather what question to ask first, there was another loud crack as Remus apparated into the room.

"Where the bloody hell have you all been?" He demanded. "Lily worried herself sick, so Hermione already took her back to Headquarters."

The mention of his wife was more sobering than any potion.

"Don't look at me!" Sirius groaned. "I just had to drag his arse out of muggle London!"

"James, go home to your wife." Remus said sternly. "She's beside herself with worry."

"I can't Moony," James groaned.

"What're you so afraid of?" Sirius asked. "I understand if you were mad earlier, hell I would be too if I saw my witch all bundled in Snivellus' arms. But she ran out of that room right after you."

"She loves him," James said grumpily.

To their surprise, it was Remus who let out a bark of laughter. James looked over at his friend indignantly.

"How pissed are you right now if you actually believe that," Remus wheezed through his laughter. "The only person Lily has eyes for is you, even a blind man could see it."

"She hesitated," James bit out.

"Look," Sirius said. "She might still care about Snape, but she's _never_ loved him like she loves you. She's never even wanted him like that!"

"Then what the bloody hell was that tonight?" James argued.

"Two friends reuniting after a long time apart with an ocean of misunderstandings they'd just resolved," Remus said a matter-of-factly. "I imagine it'd be the same if Hermione ever saw her Harry again."

"Stop being a ponce, and go get your witch," Sirius said, chucking a pillow at James' head. Even drunk, his chaser's skills allowed him to nimbly catch it right out of the air.

"Not so fast," he said, entirely too ready to shift the spotlight. "What was that whole ordeal with Marlene earlier tonight?"

"What ordeal?" Sirius dodged, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

Remus raised an eyebrow shrewdly before Sirius finally snapped.

"We aren't together!" He insisted.

"And why not?" James asked. "You've been sleeping together on and off for five years."

"She's not my Lily," Sirius yelled in an outburst. "Marlene's a great witch, and I _do_ care about her, I'm not a complete git. But she's not my Lily, and excuse me for hoping I deserve that much."

Remus raised an eyebrow knowingly.

"So you're trying to get with Hermione?" He asked bluntly.

"What?" Sirius asked dumbly. "No, where did you even get that from?"

"Oh please," Remus scoffed. "I can smell the arousal coming off you whenever she walks into a room. Honestly you're worse than James was at his own bloody wedding." James let out bark of laughter as Sirius turned beet red.

"Well you did say you weren't settling until you found your Lily, mate," James smirked. "I've never seen you take to a girl as quickly and unstrategically as you're drawn to Hermione."

"Oh drop it you prats," Sirius growled, throwing another pillow at Remus. "Lily was right, Hermione doesn't need a lover, she needs a family right now."

"Blimey she has to be the one," James said in awe. "I've never seen him think with his head and not with his prick when it comes to any other witch."

"Shut. It." Sirius growled at the two laughing marauders.

 **~o~o~o~**

 _ **~Back at The Burrow**_

"You're sure I can't offer you a spot in a safehouse, Severus?" Dumbledore implored.

The prideful man merely narrowed his eyes shrewdly. "I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself in my own home."

"I didn't say you weren't. But you are one of Voldemort's biggest targets now."

"Since when do you care?" Snape ground out suspiciously. "I always thought I was rather expendable to this war effort. Especially now that I can no longer serve as a spy."

"Let's just say Miss Granger has opened my eyes to the rather exorbitant demands I would make of you in the future," the old man said regretfully. "I hope you know that you are offered all the protections of any other Order member."

Snape's posture was taught, not giving a single hint away, but really he was quite uncomfortable under this newfound respect.

"Noted," he simply said. "But I will not be sharing living quarters with the rest of the _Order._ " Snape sneered. "You might trust me, but they certainly don't."

"So does Miss Granger," Dumbledore argued. "And I'm sure she'll do quite a lot to ensure others see things her way soon enough."

"Yes, well the girl always did seem a bit nosy if nothing else," he sneered, despite there being no bite behind his statement.

"Goodnight, Severus," Dumbledore merely said, his eyes twinkling knowingly as he drifted through the back doors leading to the gardens.

Severus didn't quite like the way Granger and now Dumbledore were trying to get him all cozy with the Order. He might've switched sides, but that didn't mean he was a different person. He simply discovered he didn't like violence, despite his aptitude for it. True to his Slytherin core, Severus much preferred a route of cunning, intelligence, and resourcefulness. The Dark Lord's brute force was wasteful and unnecessary. Besides, just because he didn't believe muggles and muggleborns should all die for simply existing, it didn't mean he would give his life to protect them all; he only risked himself to protect the one: Lily.

Sorting through his thoughts, and trying to make sense of their actions as if Dumbledore and Granger were moving him around like a chess piece, Severus absentmindedly wandered into the kitchen. He stopped short when he realized he wasn't alone, and that a rather petite woman was shuffling around the cupboards.

When she turned in surprise, Severus recognized her as the nosy chit who'd suggested he cast a patronus to prove his loyalty, probably expecting him to be swarmed by his own maggots right then and there. Clearly this one wouldn't give him a chance. Though after a closer look, he realized the small button nose and heart-shaped face framed with loose auburn waves was more familiar than he originally thought; she was in his year at Hogwarts.

"You scared me," she exclaimed me, a hand pressed to her chest.

"Pity," he said uninterestedly.

They stood there for a moment, assessing each other and Severus wondered whether he should simply leave. But part of him didn't want to, after all he had as much right to be there as any according to their precious Dumbledore.

When her shock passed, a rather calm look filled her features as Mary returned to the cup of tea she was attempting to make. "Would you like some tea?" She made her polite request without even bothering to turn around.

Severus bore holes into the back of her head with his intense stare. _What the hell was she playing at?_

"Trying to poison me, are you?" He spit spitefully. "You won't be the first to try or fail."

Mary whirled around in shock. "I _beg your pardon_?" She cried indignantly. "I was merely offering you some tea since I was making myself a cup anyway. Good lord, leave it to you to bite someone's head off for trying to be polite, Severus."

His eyebrows rose slightly with her casual use of his given name. People weren't friendly to him, they just weren't. Even Lily hadn't been for _years._

Mary rolled her eyes, noticing his silent query. "Oh please, I will not walk around calling you Snape, not if we're expected to fight alongside one another in battle one day." She returned to her tea, shuffling things around quietly.

"You didn't think I could be trusted." He said with a steely, unforgiving undercurrent.

"I said nothing of the sort," she replied calmly, not turning around. "I recommended how best to prove whether you could be loyal, and you did." She turned around with two cups of tea, setting one on the table in front of him while slowly sipping on hers. "That and the Dumbledores' word is good enough for me."

He carefully lifted the tea cup, seeing the challenge in her eyes, despite her perfectly polite expression. He subtly inhaled the smell of the tea, not detecting any potions. Then again he knew as well as any that not all potions had an odor. Slowly, he brought the cup to his lips, his eyes not leaving hers when she studied him curiously. Taking a long sip, he set the cup down, already quite confident from the taste of the tea that she hadn't added anything.

"That wasn't so hard was it," Mary said softly. "You're going to need to trust us if you hope to get through this war alive."

"I don't need anyone," Severus bit out, the steel already back in his voice.

"Everyone needs someone," she insisted, her eyes studying him much too closely for his liking. "Even you."

"Well, as interesting as this has been, I need to get going," Severus said suddenly.

Mary nodded, bidding him goodnight. "Stay safe," she added just as he was almost out of the kitchen.

Severus refused to read into that common courtesy that the witch had just thrown his way as if it were normal. Maybe it was normal to them, but not in his world. On his path to exit the overly occupied home, he narrowly dodged a raven-haired witch who seemed hell bent on leaving. Not a few steps behind her was one of the Prewett twins, trailing after her in concern. Severus quickly made his way beyond the apparation wards, leaving before he was accosted by any more do-gooders.

Marlene had just managed to excuse herself from Molly Weasley, and she was eager to get the hell out of there. She loved the Burrow as much as anyone; the place exuded a sense of welcome and warmth. But the night had been trying and she didn't know when she'd lose her ability to hold herself together. Her eye-opening conversation with Sirius had shattered her hopeful heart into pieces. She didn't even love him, for Godric's sake! She was sure she easily could, but the stubborn man had never let her get that close. But part of her mourned for the time and energy she'd spent on him these last few years. She'd tried to find other people a few times since Hogwarts ended. She tried dating and opening herself up. But they were in the midst of a war, and there were very few people she felt comfortable dragging into her world with the Order. When she walked away from her lover, she could feel something within her crumble, yet when she reached the safety of privacy the tears she'd expected never came. Neither did the anger she'd hoped she could use as her shield. She was merely left with a dull sense of loss, whether it was the loss of Sirius or the loss of the remaining bits of her childhood innocence, she wasn't sure.

She's made it through the back doors and into the garden without anyone stopping her. She was headed straight for the pond, knowing she'd only have to walk around it to be able to apparate away. But her purposeful steps were halted as a large hand closed around her forearm, abruptly jerking her backwards.

Marlene let out a small gasp, quickly finding her footing to look shoot an annoying look at whoever stopped her. To her utter surprise, it was Gideon Prewett, backing up a step with his arms raised.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I just wanted to catch you before you could apparate."

"Gideon," she whispered, mouth gaping wordlessly like a fish out of water.

"How do you know I'm not Fabian," he shifted on his feet uncomfortably.

She studied him for a moment. That was a good question. She never interacted with the Prewett twins much; they were seventh years when she'd been but a young first year at Hogwarts. Even within the Order, they were Aurors and their skills kept them on very different missions than her Arithmancy and Runes background had prepared her for. There was only one distinct memory she could ever remember having that featured Gideon Prewett. And that was enough.

"I just know," she shrugged.

"I just-" he paused, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "You doing okay? You seemed a bit cagey in there."

She looked at him in surprise. She didn't think anyone had noticed, she prided herself on being calm and cheerful most of the time. But one look at his concerned gaze and the way he seemed to hesitate to meet her eyes gave her the answer. He _knew._

"You saw what happened," she nodded to herself.

"I did," he confirmed, even though it wasn't truly a question.

"I'm alright," she sighed. "I should've seen it coming honestly."

"No you shouldn't have, because it shouldn't have happened," he said angrily. Marlene observed him in surprise. The Prewetts rarely involved themselves in their business. They'd always referred to their class of the Order as 'kids,' even though they were anything but.

"Sirius has never lied about what he thought of our friendship," Marlene defended, even though she didn't know why she felt the need to after tonight. "I guess I just read into what I might mean to him."

"You deserve a lot better than a git who doesn't recognize you for the prize you are," he said, his ice-blue eyes burning.

Marlene's heart sputtered to a pause for a brief moment before hurtling into a race. She smiled softly, letting warmth fill her from his confident words.

"You always know how to make me feel better," she said gratefully.

His gaze softened as they were both brought back to Hogwarts, to their one memory together.

It was Marlene's first year, and opening feast had just concluded. She was shown up to Gryffindor tower with her fellow first years and to her dorm where she'd met Lily. They'd all unpacking excitedly, talking about their schedules for the next day. It was only in the dead of the night that her panic overcame her that she found herself sitting by the fire in the common room, choking back quiet sobs. That was how he'd found her.

Gideon had just barely managed to sneak past Filtch on his way to Gryffindor tower. It was well past midnight and the last thing he needed was to begin his final year with a detention. His dark chestnut hair was mussed and his shirt had become untucked sometime during his impromptu rendezvous with the sixth year Ravenclaw he'd been fooling around with last term.

His easy grin faded at the sight of a tiny little girl hunched over near the fireplace, practically convulsing with broken sobs.

"Hi there, little one," he whispered softly, touching her shoulder gently.

Her crazed eyes shot up to his immediately and he could tell right away from her labored breathing and choking sobs that she was having a panic attack.

"I'm going to need you to breath with me, okay? In. and out. In, and out," he whispered exaggerating his own breaths until she was able to shakily follow his pattern.

"Thank you," she hiccupped quietly.

"What's your name, little one?" He asked softly as to not startle her.

"Marlene," she whispered. "Marlene McKinnon."

"I'm Gideon Prewett," he said sitting beside her in front of the fire, mimicking her position by bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them.

Moments of peaceful silence passed before he gently asked, "So what's got you up in the middle of the night, little one?"

"I... I don't belong here," she hiccupped, a few more tears escaping her stubborn efforts to keep them away.

"Of course you belong here," he said confidently. "You're a witch, and Hogwarts is the place for all witches."

"But I'm not," she whined painfully. "I'm not a witch."

"I'm sorry?" He said, at an absolute loss as surprise spread through him.

"I'm not a witch," she repeated. "My friends all say they've had bouts of accidental magic, and they've been able to do magic since they were little. But I never had any incidents. Ever. My parents thought I might be a squib but they didn't want to take me out of the Wizarding World. But classes start tomorrow and then everyone's going to know that I'm not a witch," her voice broke at the end as she dissolved into shudders.

Gideon's heart melted a little at the girl in front of him. Such a big burden for one so young- to think they don't belong in the world their family's been in for generations.

"Well that's absolute rubbish," he said lightly, catching her attention. "You have to be a witch, otherwise they never would've sent you a Hogwarts letter."

"Really?" She whispered, looking up at him uncertainly from behind tear filled lashes.

"Really," he confirmed confidently. "If you hadn't had any incidents of accidental magic, then it's remarkable how controlled of a witch you already are," he boasted. "It takes a great deal of control and strength not to let your emotions get your magic out of hand."

"Really?" Her hopeful eyes peered up at him.

"Cross my heart or hope to die," he said very seriously.

The young girl let out a long shaky exhale before she tackled him with an excited hug. He wasn't quite ready and rolled back on the carpet, chuckling fondly at her enthusiasm. She froze at his deep voice, immediately shuffling off him with a pretty blush.

"Sorry," she mumbled, "and thank you."

"You're welcome, little one. Best get to bed now, you've got a long day ahead of you."

She nodded excitedly before quickly scurrying up the stairs.

Gideon recalled the memory with a fond grin. But he was no longer a swaggering teenager, and it did not escape his notice that the girl in front of him had long since grown into a confident, self-assured woman.

"Thank you for checking on me," Marlene grinned, feeling loads better. "Again."

Gideon's lips quirked, picking up her meaning. "Of course, little one."

With a parting smile, she turned on her heel and walked the remaining few paces to the edge of the wards before apparating away.

"Sooo..." a voice drawled behind Gideon.

If Gideon was surprised by his twin's sudden arrival, his posture certainly didn't let it show.

"What?" he asked, striving for indifference.

Fabian came around to stand next to his brother, failing to hide the ridiculous grin on his face as he glanced at Gideon. "Marlene, huh?"

Gideon took a quick look at his brother before rolling his eyes and shoving him roughly. "Oh stuff it."

 **~o~o~o~**

 _ **~ Headquarters of the Order**_

Sirius apparated James back to Headquarters, partially just in case he was tipsier than he realized but also because he wanted to make sure he left him somewhere safe. To his surprise, Hermione was waiting for them, sitting in the living room and making absentminded ribbons of light with her wand. Upon hearing their entry, she was on her feet in an instant.

"James Potter, where the bloody fuck have you been? It is 2 in the morning." Despite her jarring words, her voice never elevated above a calm tone, which concerned Sirius even more than if she'd been yelling.

"I had stuff to sort out," he said guiltily.

"The only thing you had to sort out were your own misunderstandings." She fumed at him.

The two marauders took in her words in frozen surprise. Never before had they seen her so angry, not even when they'd accused her of horrible things and ignored her.

"You will go upstairs this instant and check on your _wife_ or so help me Merlin, Harry will only ever know his mother in this life." She seethed at him. "She's been inconsolable since you disappeared, it'd be a miracle if she actually managed to fall asleep."

James' guarded posture drooped immediately at the mention of Lily's pain. Sirius merely studied her appraisingly. She never brought her claws out to defend herself against their worst treatment, but the moment someone she cared about was in question, she was this magnificent and righteous warrior. Gryffindor through and through, he thought to himself.

James nodded before slinking up the stairs, clearly seeing the recklessness in his actions tonight.

"Thank you for bringing him back," Hermione told Sirius gently.

"Of course." Like there had ever been any other option for him.

His eyes didn't leave her and Hermione had the urge to squirm under his knowing gaze.

"Harry and Neville are upstairs in the other bedroom, I assume you want to stay and watch over them?" Hermione continued quickly, unable to take the silence.

"Yes, of course," Sirius confirmed readily.

"Well then, I guess I should be heading back to the Burrow if you've got the boys," she mumbled, turning to look for the floo powder.

"Hermione," Sirius spoke up, bringing her attention back to him. She raised an eyebrow in question. "You're part of us now you know?"

She turned to him fully, not understanding him. Sirius rubbed the back of his neck uncertainly.

"I know I was selfish with you when you first got here, and then most of us were horrible to you after the whole thing with Peter... me especially. But we're changing that, and I want you to know we have your back. You're one of us."

She didn't say anything, but just studied him as if trying to pick apart his intentions. He was eventually about to go check up on the kids when her quiet words stopped him in his footsteps.

"Why did you break up with Marlene?"

His gaze flew to hers in surprise, and Hermione blushed at her impulsive question but didn't back down, looking to him expectantly.

"You know I have very few examples of love in my life," he sighed wearily. He owed her an honest answer, and he was serious about changing things between them. "One the strongest of them are those two fools upstairs," he continued affectionately. "Marlene is a great witch, and she has my respect and friendship. But she's not my Lily, you know?" His eyes pleaded with her to understand. "I don't go out of my mind when I'm not with her, my world doesn't feel like it begins and ends with her, and I just- I don't love her the way I should. The way she deserves. I know it's a shite reason to not even try, but I know that I want something deeper for myself- Like James and Lily. Marlene and I just never had that."

"That's fair," Hermione said simply, her gaze soft.

He stared at her for a moment, wanting to say so much more but knowing for once he couldn't keep being selfish when it came to Hermione.

"Goodnight, Sirius," she said softly, heading into the fireplace before disappearing behind green flames.

 **~o~o~o~**

To say that he was nervous was an understatement. James Potter was absolutely terrified. Ever since the birth of their son, he'd made one promise to himself when it came to Lily: that he'd never hurt her, intentionally or otherwise. Yet that was precisely what he'd done by recklessly running away before giving her the chance to explain.

When he quietly snuck into their room, it was dark. Lily was curled up on her side, practically hugging the edge of the bed. He silently shed his shirt and trousers before climbing into his side, careful not to jar her awake. His fingers burned to reach out and pull her back against him, but he wasn't sure she would welcome that had she been awake right now.

In his few moments of contemplation, he belatedly realized the bed was shaking ever so slightly. Looking carefully across the expanse that separated them, James noticed his wife quivering, the tension in her form making it clear as day that she was still awake.

"Lily," he whispered longingly.

The timbers in his voice sent a full out shudder rippling through Lily's body as she tried to choke back her tears. She should get up, maybe go sleep with the kids before she absolutely lost it. Maybe now that she knew he was back safe, she would actually be able to get to sleep.

Before she could get up, a strong arm snaked around her waist, gently pulling her back against the heat of her husband's chest. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling as if reassuring himself of her presence.

While she wanted to melt into his embrace, the thought absolutely enraged her. She'd been there all night. What the bloody hell did he need reassurance of? Lifting his arm off her, she climbed out of bed, needing to put distance between them.

"Lily I'm so sorry," James cooed, standing up as well, the bed an ocean between them.

"Sorry?" She said tonelessly. "For what?"

"For disappearing and scaring you," he gulped.

"Is that it?" She asked ruthlessly.

"Merlin, Lily I was scared! Is that what you wanted to hear? I was terrified when Snape just showed up in our lives again, he was never any good for us."

"The only problem with us," Lily bit out, her eyes blazing, "was the way you two treated each other. My friendship with him was never a problem to you."

"He poisoned you against me," James pleaded with her to see reason.

"He could say the same of you," she said haughtily, clinging to her anger like armor.

"Damn it, Lily, it was a mistake! I know I should've stayed at let you have your say, but I panicked, okay? I was hurt," he croaked out.

Lily's gaze finally softened. "Oh James," she whispered. "You have nothing to be scared of, I wish you knew that."

Her words broke him out of his hesitation and he was already around the bed before she could blink, tugging her into his embrace.

"You still care for him," James said, his voice muffled in her hair.

"I do," she confirmed, pulling back to look at James meaningfully. "I care about Severus a lot, he was my first and oldest friend in the magical world. But I love _you_ , I always have. You are the only person I've ever loved. That's never going to change."

James choked out a half laugh-half cry, crushing her in his embrace. "I love you so much, Lily."

She tilted her head back to gaze up at him with a sweet, tear-filled smile, and James could no longer resist. Bringing his lips down on hers softly, he poured all his longing into her.

"Never leave me," he whispered against her lips. "I am nothing without you and Harry."

"You forgot someone," she whispered breathily.

"Who?" He asked in confusion, pulling back slightly to look at her.

"James... we've got another little one on the way," she said, taking his hand and guiding it to her lower belly.

James looked down at their hands and met Lily's eyes in awe. "You're... you're pregnant?"

She bit her lip hesitantly and nodded. James had no words, this woman never ceased to amaze him. He brought his hands up to her jaw, pulling her up into a sweet kiss. She returned his kiss enthusiastically, a soft moan escaping her when he gently nipped at her lower lip. Lily gasped as he began to trail his lips along her jaw and down her neck, sucking at her clavicle.

She waited with baited breath when he dropped to his knees in front of her, his warm hands slipping inside her shirt and pushing it up her torso. James gently kissed her exposed stomach and rested his head against her.

"Hello little Potter," he whispered affectionately. "I can't wait until you come out into this world. I promise to protect you and your mum with everything I am."

Lily's heart clenched in adoration as James left one parting kiss on her belly before lifting himself off his knees. She squealed in surprise when James swept her into his arms, carrying her to the bed with a smoldering look of desire. The man never failed to make her feel wanted.

Gently laying her down, he held himself barely a few inches above her body, just gazing at her. Lily ran her palm down his torso, feeling the flex of all the sinewy muscles built from years of Quidditch.

"James," she whispered, looking up at him with glazed eyes.

"What do you want, love?" His voice was hoarse with desire and his eyes burned into her.

"You, I want all of you." She hooked her fingers into the hem of his boxers, pulling him down on her, bringing his lips to her. She arched her back, pushing her body up against his. He tore his mouth away with a groan.

"Lily, you'll destroy my control if you keep that up," he breathed against her neck.

"Good," she smirked, raking her hands through his scalp.

He pushed his hips into hers and her breath caught at the length of hardness pressing into her hip. "God I love you."

"Never leave me," she echoed his earlier words back to him, lifting his head to meet his eyes. "I'm lost without you."

James' caramel eyes darkened imperceptibly and that was her only warning before he was devouring her. His lips came down on hers and he swept into her mouth like he owned it. His hands were running under her shirt tracing her ribs, and before she knew it he'd whipped it off her. Her brain became incoherent as James began tracing his lips down the valley between her breasts, suckling on the specific spots he'd learned were sensitive. Her blood was raging through her veins, and she could do nothing but close her eyes against the sensations of his lips and hands on her skin. It must be the damned pregnancy hormones.

Following the path down her stomach, he nipped playfully at her hip bones, chucking when she unwittingly jerked against him. Her eyes hadn't left his fingers, which had been playing with the hem of her pants the whole time.

"James," she pleaded, her patience fraying thin.

"Patience, love."

He smiled against her stomach before slowly gliding her pants and underwear down her long legs. When he returned to her, his gaze on her lower half had Lily dripping with need. He tried to settle in between her legs, licking his lips as if readying himself for a meal, but Lily had other plans. She brought his face back to hers, almost laughing at the disappointment in his eyes.

"I don't need that right now," she whispered.

"But I want to-"

"And I want _you_ ," she breathed, her hands finding his already hard member.

"Fuck," he stuttered, as his fingers closed around him.

Lily moaned when he abruptly pushed two fingers into her, immediately feeling herself clench greedily around him. "Fuck Lily, you're drenched," he groaned, dropping his head to her sternum.

"So I've been trying to tell you," she said sassily. "Now will you give us what we both want?" She asked, boldly meeting his eyes.

"As my witch commands."

James lifted one of her legs, hitching it over his hip before bringing himself right to her entrance. He could feel her heat and almost shuddered at the thought of being inside his wife- he would never tire of her. As he started sinking into her, Lily's eyes shuttered in pleasure, her breath hitched.

"Look at me, Lily," James commanded, his fingers digging into her hips.

Her eyes flew open as green met hazel. She couldn't look away if she tried, he had her pinned with his gaze. James drove the rest of the way into her with more strength than he should have since she was pregnant, but her needy whimper reassured him as her mouth opened into a little o. Lily immediately clenched around him, already close to climax even though he'd just entered her.

She raised her hips, signaling him to move, and so he did. Long, slow strokes, his eyes not leaving hers. It took him less than ten strokes before Lily was falling apart in his arms, a soft whine leaving her lips as she arched upwards, her toes curling into the sheets.

"Fuck," James cursed lowly, pushed to the very edge of his self-control as he felt his wife spasm around him, milking him for everything he's got. Picking up the pace he began to drill her into the bed, chasing his own pleasure. His movements almost stuttered from shock when he felt Lily clenching around him once more, and her following moan told him she was already close once again. He sat up, lifting her hips off the bed to meet his powerful thrusts, completely enthralled by the beautiful redhead splayed in front of him. Keeping a tight hold on her hip with one hand, the other made its way to find the little pearl at the juncture of her thighs. A few soft circles over it had her flying of the handle.

"James, I'm coming again," she cried, her entire back arching off the bed.

This time the pressure from her orgasm was too much for James, and she had him flying right off the cliff alongside her. He groaned from the strength of it, leaning over her and holding himself up with one arm as he began to see stars.

Kissing her softly as they both came down from their high, he gently slipped out of her, turning her so she was cradled against his chest.

"I love you," she mumbled sleepily.

"As I love you," he whispered, dropping a soft kiss to her shoulder blade, pulling her close.

His hand ran patterns over her lower stomach until her breathing steadied. He couldn't believe it, he thought as his hand splayed possessively over the soft tissue of Lily's stomach. They were having another baby.

 **~O~O~O~**

 **Okay, so there were a lot of major developments this chapter. Snape finding a possible ally in Mary? Sirius seeming like less of a complete asshole? Gideon and Marlene's history? Lastly, Lily and James reconciling.**

 **I hope everyone's happy with the updates, let me know your thoughts and how you think the rest of the puzzle pieces will fall into place ^_^**

 **~Mischief Managed**


	21. Catching the Rat

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: CATCHING THE RAT**

 _ **~ Inner-Circle Order Meeting: Headquarters**_

"You can't honestly mean to send Hermione out with him _alone?_ " Sirius growled.

"For once, Dumbledore," Snape drawled in his usual disinterest, "I have to agree with him. The Dark Lord has his eyes set on Granger, she needs more protection than that."

It had been a few days since that tension filled night in the Burrow. The Marauders had formed a tentative truce with Snape, which mostly consisted of staying out of his way. This was fairly easy most of the time, except in times like these when Dumbledore called the inner circle together. They had just received intel from Moody about the possible whereabouts of the one and only Peter Pettigrew. _Everyone_ was a bit antsy that Snape had been pulled into the inner circle, except Hermione who'd grown up with him in that role. But Dumbledore insisted that he knew everything anyway, and his experience with the Death Eaters could provide valuable insight into strategizing.

"Why does Hermione have to go at all," Fabian finally spoke up. "We can send others to go after Pettigrew, Hermione is vital for dealing with Horcruxes."

"And all the Horcruxes are gone! I will not sit here and watch the rest of you fight this war without me when I've been dealing with this since I was eleven!" Hermione snapped.

"But you still can't mean to send her alone with _Snape_ ," James reiterated, sending a suspicious glance his way to which Severus merely rolled his eyes.

Dumbledore finally interrupted their squabbling, his tone as patient as ever. "I said we needed both Hermione and Severus to go. Hermione is the most informed about the overall workings of this war, as she herself has indicated. And Severus knows how the other side works. But I never said they were the only ones who _could_ go."

"Ye're forgetting that she could probably best every single one of you in a duel," Moody grumbled. Hermione smiled at her mentor. _She knew she was growing on him._

"I'll go," Sirius immediately volunteered. "I don't trust him," he shot Snape a dirty look. "Besides, if we're about to catch Peter, I intend to be a part of it."

"You can count us in," Gideon called out, smirking at his twin. "Can't leave the kids to go get themselves in trouble, now can we?"

As much as James itched to volunteer as well, he knew they would never allow him to put himself in such a vulnerable position. Lily's nails nervously digging into his arm told him as much. And it was much too close to the full moon for Remus to be of any use on an active mission.

"That should be plenty," Dumbledore said positively. "This is probably just going to be a reconnaissance mission; this place hasn't been visited by anyone in the week we've kept an eye on it."

 **~o~o~o~**

The team apparated to the destination, landing directly into the premises. It was an old, torn down cottage on the edges of a small muggle village. And immediately, Hermione felt an odd chill run up her spine. It was too similar to the eerie feeling she got at Godric's Hollow for her liking.

"Did you already disarm the wards around this place?" She asked the Prewetts.

"No, Moody's told us not to get near it until this point."

"Why is there no protection on this place then? Pettigrew couldn't have been that stupid!"

"He always was shit at magic," Snape sneered. "I could only assume he'd be an equally inept soldier."

Sirius' hand clenched around his wand tightly as he bit back a retort in defense of Peter. After all, he was the enemy now. And Snape was supposedly on their side.

"No," Hermione shook her head vehemently, the unease stirring within her rising by the second. "There's no way he'd leave it completely unwarded if this is his safe house, he's too afraid to die to do that even by mistake."

Not even seconds after the words left her mouth, their world exploded into an array of colors as part of the roof came crashing down on them. They all ducked for cover, getting into a circular formation that kept their backs to each other and their eyes on every corner of the worn down house. The debris from the explosion bounced off the shield charms everyone had conjured, harmlessly falling to their feet.

"We can't apparate," Gideon bit out in a tense voice. "It was a trap."

There was a brief second of tense silence before the opposition made themselves known; it was 5 death eaters complete with robes and masks materializing out of the shadows. The wizard at the point of the crew swished his wand over his mask, making it disappear.

Snape immediately tensed at Hermione's side.

"Well well well," Lucius Malfoy murmured condescendingly. "If it isn't the filthy little traitor."

Snape didn't rise to the bait. But the other Death Eaters followed Malfoy's example, vanishing their masks.

"We should've known better than to let a useless half-blood into our ranks," Dolohov spit out.

Hermione swayed slightly in alarm before locking her knees. The last time she'd seen the psychopath was when they were ambushed in Muggle London right after Bill's wedding. And the time before that, he'd nearly liquefied all her internal organs in the Department of Mysteries. Nott and Goyle flanked Malfoy like dogs, and their stance vaguely reminded her of the way his son would come to swagger around Hogwarts. As they stepped further out of the shadows, they noticed Pettigrew cowering behind them. Sirius went stiff as soon as he spotted him.

"To think," Lucius said to Severus in a deadly quiet voice. "I made you the Godfather of my child. I guess I'll have to tell him you simply... died."

That was their only warning before they struck, as quickly as a cobra. Luckily, Snape was ready for them. They quickly broke off into groups, Snape keeping Lucius busy while the Prewetts took on Dolohov, Nott, and Goyle.

It brought Hermione some momentary relief that she wouldn't have to duel the monster from her past personally. That left her and Sirius to handle Pettigrew. But she didn't have to do much; Sirius was on him immediately, sharp and well placed hexes driving Pettigrew back against the wall.

"Sirius," Pettigrew sputtered.

But Sirius didn't let up an inch, blasting him backwards until the wall was at his back.

"How dare you," Sirius' tongue lashed between his silent spells. "We trusted you! You were our brother!"

"They were threatening him, I had no choice!" Peter yelled.

Sirius paused, his wand trained on Pettigrew menacingly. "James was already protected," he bit out. "If you feared for your life, then you're a coward to trade us in for them!"

"Not _me!_ Remus! They'd been monitoring him for _months!_ If I didn't act as a spy, they would've killed him."

Sirius hesitated, not expecting to hear that. Then again, neither had Hermione.

But as her mind raced to make sense of his words, Hermione realized there was no way that could be true. If it were, then there was no way Peter would just trade in the Potters for Remus' life, it would've never gotten to that point. But in that split second of hesitation, Sirius' wand had lowered incrementally.

Hermione saw the sinister smile spreading across Pettigrew's face. Before she could warn him, he blasted them both back. Sirius groaned and Hermione winced, feeling the wind knocked out of her.

"You lot always did underestimate me," Pettigrew said bitterly.

Hermione was on her feet in an instant since Sirius had taken the brunt of the blast. "You bastard," she bit out, her wand trained on him.

Before she could take him out, she heard a familiar cackling from behind her. She turned on her feet only to feel the air whoosh out of her once more at the sight of the source of her nightmares: Bellatrix Lestrange. In her moment of shock, a hex from Pettigrew hit her in the side, blindsiding her and bringing her to her knees. Remotely, she could hear Sirius roar in outrage as he got to his feet, but Hermione's eyes were locked on the manic look in Bellatrix's eyes.

"You've caused quite a bit of trouble for the Dark Lord," she said, eyeing her appraisingly. "Then again, what else can we expect from a _Dumbledore._ He'll be very pleased when he learns I got to you."

Still immobile from Pettigrew's hex, Hermione was helpless when she saw as a mint green spell envelop her from the end of Bellatrix's wand. Hermione didn't know of any other spell that was green other than the killing curse. As darkness overtook her, her last thought was, _I had so much more to do._

Sirius was wand locked with Pettigrew when he saw Hermione fall. A swell of energy burst out of him as his spell launched Pettigrew against the wall, and he watched carefully as he slumped over unconscious. Disarming him quickly, he turned on Bellatrix.

"What did you do?" He bit out.

"Well hello cousin," Bellatrix mocked in glee. "It's too late to save her now, she'll be dead within minutes."

When Severus suddenly appeared, cornering her from another direction, Bellatrix decided to cut her losses short, disapparating with a self-satisfied smirk. Not bothering to chase her, both wizards fell to their knees on opposite sides of the unconscious witch.

"Hermione," Sirius tried to wake her, shaking her gently. She seemed to have no apparent injuries other than the fact that she was unconscious.

"Why did Bellatrix say she'd be dead within minutes, what's wrong with her?" Snape asked urgently.

"I don't know! She still has a pulse, so what's killing her?" Sirius cried in a panic.

" _Think,_ Black. For once in your bloody life, think! What was the curse she used on Hermione?"

"I don't _know_ ," he bit out. "She didn't say the spell. But it was light green."

Snape's brows furrowed in consternation for a moment before he let out a string of curses under his breath before quickly murmuring spells over her.

"What? What is it?" Sirius asked, his panic growing with every curse Snape uttered.

"She used Exhuariatus Vitam," he bit out spitefully. "It's draining her magical core."

"Wait... but that hasn't been used since the dark ages," Sirius said.

"I know that, that's why Bellatrix said it was too late to save her."

"There has to be _something_ we can do! Dumbledore will know!"

"She has but minutes, Black, we don't have _time_." Snape pointed out.

Sirius stared down at the Hermione, his mind racing at a thousand kilometers a minute. _She couldn't die. Not now, not here. And certainly not because she was felled by Pettigrew when he had hesitated._

"Will the Coniunctus Ritual save her?" Sirius asked Snape.

The Slytherin's eyes shot up to his. "How do you know about that?"

"I'm a Black, remember?" He'd grown up being taught all manners of magic. His childhood library had no shortage of grey or dark magic. "Answer the question."

"Yes, I suppose it would," Snape allowed. "But you can't do it, it's dark magic."

"It's not dark magic, it's blood magic," Sirius said stiffly.

"But it will bind you together! You can't do this!"

"The hell I can't! She's NOT dying, not under my watch." Sirius barked, his eyes blazing. "Besides, if only I do it, it would simply bind me to her, not the other way around."

Snape was at a loss for words, he didn't think Sirius Black was capable of acting in any kind of non-self-serving manner. He was frozen with shock, which in itself was a rarity for him, as Sirius did a quick slicing hex on his palm that send blood pooling to the surface of his skin.

"Will you help me or not?" Sirius asked him. Severus knew this was a matter of death, and saying no would mean Hermione would die, very soon at that.

"Very well," he agreed.

"You know the incantation?"

"I do."

Sirius made a small slice in Hermione's palm, gently pressing their bleeding palms together and holding her hand in his worriedly. Snape murmured the incantation, conjuring a thin burning string that wound around their intertwined hands like an infinity loop.

"Sanguis sanguinem..." Sirius started murmuring, sending the burning loop around their hands digging into their skin. The spell sunk deep into their skin, tying them together, or more accurately tying Sirius' life force to Hermione's. As he finished, the thin string disappeared all together, leaving a faint burning sensation where it had been. "...est vitus tua."

If he wasn't already kneeling, the strength of the bonding would've brought Sirius to his knees. A bright blue light emanated around the two, similar to that of a patronus, before fading just as quickly as it came.

"It's working," Snape said. "Her pulse is getting stronger. And her own magical core is renewing itself."

But Sirius was hardly paying attention. He grunted, keeling over from the force of the bonding, entirely overwhelmed. He could feel the very essence that was Hermione crashing into his very being, taking him under like a tumultuous wave in the deep ocean. When he recovered, he was panting. He could faintly feel her heartbeat as surely as he felt his own, and its steady rhythm reassured him.

"What the hell are you going to tell her when she wakes?" Snape asked curiously.

"I'm not."

"She won't be happy if you keep this from her," Snape simply observed.

"It's a one-sided bond, it doesn't change anything for her," Sirius said, still breathing heavily. "Besides I won't have her feeling guilty for _my_ _choice_."

"Yes but if she ever dies, so will you," Snape pointed out.

"I know," Sirius intoned. "But it was my choice. Besides, it's done."

 **~o~o~o~**

 **Surprise, surprise. Did anyone see this coming?**

 **I know a lot of you have mentioned finding Marlene generally annoying, which I can understand because most stories I've read portray her as this shallow witch. But I think that's oversimplifying her, so I'm trying to create a different side of her where she is both a confident and attractive witch, but also has layers and complexities. This story is meant to be more than merely a romance, so I'm proud of the direction I'm taking it, and that includes building up the stories of side-characters such as her, Snape, and the Prewetts ^_^**

 **Also, I'm hosting the Seeker Awards for HP fanfics on Wattpad, so if you use that platform please enter your stories because we would love to read them!**

 **~Mischief Managed**


	22. Puzzle Pieces

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: PUZZLE PIECES**

"Has he said anything?"

"No, but the Prewetts managed to bring in him and Malfoy, so that's two less Death Eaters roaming free."

Hermione groaned as her consciousness slowly came back to her. She tried to open her eyes, but they felt so incredibly heavy.

"Hermione!"

"I'm here," she mumbled, bringing a hand to her temple. _What was wrong with her?_

"Hi there," Lily said softly, coming to sit by her bed. "You took quite the hit back there."

"What happened?" she asked hoarsely.

"We're not really sure, exactly," Remus replied, standing next to Lily. "We were hoping you could tell us."

Hermione sat up slowly, feeling the hesitance in her own muscles. As far as she could see, there were no wounds on her body, or any particular injury she could detect. Yet her body felt weak and dreary, like the time she woke up from being petrified back in second year.

"I was immobilized... and then Bellatrix hit me with a curse. I honestly thought I was about to die- the curse was green."

This information seemed to give both her friends a pause as Remus and Lily glanced at each other in concern.

"Severus and Sirius must not have seen what hit you, they couldn't say. But you were incredibly weak when they brought you back here," Lily told her. "You've been recovering steadily, but we're not quite sure what she did to you, or what fixed you."

"Well I think I'm fine," Hermione thought aloud.

"Strange," Remus muttered.

"And the others?" Hermione asked suddenly. _Are they safe?_

"All fine," Lily assured. "Sirius and Severus brought you back, and the Prewetts brought in Pettigrew and Malfoy thanks to them."

"That's a relief," Hermione sighed, sagging back into her bed. _At least they'd done what they set out to and gotten out with everyone intact._

 **~o~o~o~**

 **~ Headquarters**

It had barely been a day since their successful mission, and they were already gathered around the kitchen. Molly had insisted on coming to make sure Hermione was well fed and cared for- at least for the day. And where Molly went, her loyal family followed. The kitchen was alive with happy conversation and laughter from the little ones. Hermione and Lily had insisted Severus join them for breakfast, and the boys were actually managing to behave. It was the moment of peace that reminded them what they were fighting for. Hermione could almost forget they were in the middle of a war.

"Having fun without us, Molls? I'm insulted," a grinning Gideon asked as he and his twin made their way into the room.

"Gideon! Fabian!" Hermione exclaimed, running up to throw her arms around the pair of them. They chuckled fondly at her before they collectively lifted her off the ground in a bear hug between them.

"Sorry we couldn't get here sooner," Fabian apologized. "We've been helping Moody with the interrogations."

 _Ahh... Pettigrew and Malfoy._ "Anything?"

"Not yet," Gideon sighed grimly. "But they'll break soon enough."

Hermione's skin prickled for a brief second, as if she were being watched. When she glanced back, she barely caught Sirius' head turning back to the other Marauders, and she wondered if she just imagined it.

 _Huh, must be her own nerves._

Before she could ponder on it, there was a sharp shift in the air followed by a loud crack. They were all baffled as a breathless raven-haired beauty stood in front of them, struggling to catch her breath. Lily was immediately out of her seat.

"Marlene! What's wrong?"

"My- my parents," she wheezed. "My home is under attack, I need help!" She cried, trying to pull herself back from the edge of hyperventilating.

"I'll go," Gideon said immediately.

"Of course," Fabian said, coming up to stand beside his brother.

Hermione could see Lily clenching her fists. She couldn't imagine how hard it would be to be in strict hiding and pregnant when your friends were in danger and needed help.

"I'll go," Hermione volunteered.

"No," a quick voice insisted. "I- I mean you're still recovering from yesterday, we can't risk they'll catch you in a vulnerable moment," Sirius clarified, slightly embarrassed.

"He's right," Remus insisted.

But Hermione couldn't help but feel a twinge on unease as she looked at the trio meant to leave. The Prewetts and the McKinnons all died in her timeline. And it was just too eerie that they'd managed to avoid all those deaths only for them to go into a potentially fatal mission together- not that every mission wasn't potentially fatal. But still, she couldn't help the irrational panic bubbling up within her.

"Severus, would you please go with them?" Hermione pleaded.

He merely raised an eyebrow in surprise at her use of his given name.

"Please!" she cried, the panic beginning to seep into her voice.

"Very well," Severus said, eyeing her critically, going up to join the others.

"We'll be right back," Fabian assured her, astutely picking up on her panic.

"I know, and _thank you,_ " she said quietly to Severus as he passed her. She quickly pulled him into a brief hug. "Be safe, all of you."

"Be careful!" Molly exclaimed worriedly.

Hermione watched them disapparate on the spot with a sinking feeling. But within her anxiety and fear, she could also detect something displaced. _Rage?_ When she glanced back at the remaining group, she caught Sirius quickly averting his eyes and looking down at his cup.

 _Odd._

"Did something like this happen in your time?" Lily asked anxiously.

"I'm not sure," Hermione said uncertainly. "Not exactly like this because the twins would've already been gone... but I just didn't want to risk it. Some similarities are just too eerie."

"Thank you," Lily said softly, taking Hermione's arm and walking her back to the table to join the others.

Molly immediately began sending word to Dumbledore and Moody. No doubt, the rest of the Order would be swarming headquarters within the hour. It was quite different to be part of such a big team. Before in her own time, Hermione was always considered a child, despite being dubbed brightest witch of her age. Even when they were fully immersed in the war, it was just her, Harry, and Ron. No healers, no caretakers, no support. As much as Hermione missed her friends, she didn't feel nearly as desolate in this war.

"We actually have something we needed to speak to you about," Lily said shyly, looking to James.

"Is everything okay?" Hermione asked immediately.

"Fine," Lily shook her head reassuringly. "Pretty great, actually."

James gave his wife an adoring grin before turning his gaze on Hermione. "So I know Lily said you could think about it, but there's no one else we'd have as Harry's Godmother. So this is us officially telling you that you're part of the family."

"Oh," Hermione blushed, holding back a small laugh at James' bluntness. "I would've never refused; I just didn't say yes right away because I wasn't certain you were serious."

Lily smacked her husband softly. Clearly she hadn't anticipated having this conversation in such a manner. "And we'd also like to ask you if you'd be the Godmother for the next one," she said with a little smile. "It would've gone to Alice... but you've been such a godsend for us, I can't think of anyone I would trust more with my kids."

"I would be honored," Hermione cooed, happy that the couple had talked out their issues and were doing better now.

Amongst her own happiness, she detected a swell of adoration that didn't feel like it was entirely her own. When she glanced over, her eyes met Sirius', who was gazing at her softly. All of a sudden, she could hear her own heartbeats personified in her head. She smiled back hesitantly and as suddenly as she felt it, the ethereal sensation faded.

 _Strange._

 _Maybe it's Harry's magic,_ Hermione thought.

"And of course, you'll have a smarter partner this time around. Moony will help you keep the troublemaker in check, won't you mate?" James winked at him.

"Me?" Remus asked in surprise.

"Of course, Remus!" Lily exclaimed.

"You didn't think we'd put all our eggs in that basket did you," James said nodding at Sirius. "Godric knows what he'd do to them all!"

"I resent that," Sirius said jokingly. "I would've trained them well."

"Yeah, trained them to wreak havoc in Hogwarts," Lily said dryly.

"You say that like it's a bad thing, love." James winked.

 **~o~o~o~**

As it turns out, it took less than fifteen minutes for a large part of the Order to assemble, most people apparating in a rush straight from work. The group waited anxiously for the return of their comrades. They considered sending others, but Moody assured them the Prewetts would've called for backup if necessary. The hushed conversations were tense. But they didn't have to wait long. It had been a little over half an hour when they returned, a little worse for wear, but otherwise alive.

Marlene was holding onto both her parents as she apparated them into headquarters. Gideon looked absolutely horrible; the side of his head was bleeding and he looked entirely out of it. He was supported by Fabian and Severus, each taking one of his arms over their shoulders. They set him down on the sofa, and Hermione couldn't help but notice Severus was limping.

"We took care of it, but it was a close one," Fabian called out. "Gideon was hit by a collapsing wall, he probably has a concussion."

Hermione's heart dropped. These similarities were much too eerie. The fact that Gideon shared a similar fate to that of his future nephew unarmed her.

"I've got him," Lily said, immediately stepping forward.

"Snape broke his ankle and has multiple lacerations," Fabian continued down the list.

"I'm fine," Severus said stiffly, lowering himself to a chair a little further away from the circling crowd.

Marlene ran to Gideon as soon as she had her parents situated. "Oh please tell me he's going to be alright, Lily!" She cried out, entirely distraught.

"He's got some deep injuries in his skull," Lily said worriedly, working over him diligently. "But I think he'll be okay."

"Oh Godric," she whispered, dropping to her knees beside the couch. "It was because of me! McNair was aiming for _me_ , and Gideon shoved me out of the way. But the curse rebounded off the wall and he was hit trying to cover me from the rubble."

"He'll be okay," Fabian assured her, stubborn determination etched in his face. He dropped his hand to her shoulder comfortingly. "He would much rather it be him like this right now than you."

When Hermione was sure Lily had control over Gideon's condition, she turned her attention to Snape only to find that Mary McDonald was already at his side. She could hear Severus muttering that he was perfectly capable of healing himself, and Mary patiently saying that they were here so he didn't need to do it all himself as she murmured healing spells over the stray slicing hexes that'd cut into his skin.

"Thank you for going," Hermione spoke to Severus as she approached the pair.

"Well someone had to," he said stiffly.

"No really," Fabian said looking over at them. "Snape was invaluable."

Practically everyone in the room raised their eyebrows in disbelief.

"It was brilliant! Gideon and Marlene were buried under rubble, and I was defending the McKinnons. Snape took down Goyle, Crabbe, and McNair all in one go!"

"Are they still alive?" Moody asked gruffly.

"Probably not." Severus said.

While some people's hackles rose at his indifference, Fabian went on to clarify.

"They were hit by slicing hexes and were bleeding out when we left. We didn't have the time to bring them in, just in case more of them came. They're probably dead by now if no one's gotten to them."

A buzz of conversation filled the room as the details of the mission were revealed.

"I knew you had it in you," Hermione smirked at Snape.

"Had it in me to brutally massacre three wizards?" Snape scoffed dryly. "Yes, someone should give me an Order of Merlin."

"You defended your team when they were vulnerable," Hermione clarified, not letting his sarcasm get the better of her.

The corner of Snape's mouth tilted upwards. It was the closest she'd seen to an actual smile from him. A sudden hot feeling began swirling in her stomach, something she could identify from her own past. It was the restless sinking feeling of pure jealousy. But it wasn't her own. Who did she have to be jealous of? Mary? She quite liked the girl, and besides it wasn't as if she was remotely interested in Severus.

For some reason, her eyes instinctively flew to Sirius, who had already been watching her with a pinning stare. Caught off guard by her sudden questioning gaze, he immediately turned and whisked out of the room. Snape watched their interaction with a careful gaze. He knew Granger was sharp, and it looked like she was already onto Black, even if she had no idea what she was looking for. After all, Snape himself saw the raw displeasure in Black's stare even before Hermione turned around. But with her back to him, she had no way of knowing that when she turned right to him... unless she was already feeling the effects of the bond.

"I'm glad you'll be okay," she said to Severus absentmindedly. "Excuse me," she said distractedly, following after Sirius' tracks.

"You know something," Mary immediately observed knowingly, not looking up from her healing

"I beg your pardon?" Severus' eyes flew to her, but he maintained his obliviousness.

"You know something," she simply repeated, looking up at him. "About whatever is going on with Hermione and Sirius."

Severus Snape was speechless.

"Why aren't you telling her?" Mary asked.

This was the second time someone had managed to surprise him, and Severus Snape did not enjoy that feeling; he hated surprises.

Mary smiled at him knowingly. "Just because I'm quiet doesn't mean I don't notice what's happening around me. You know, you seem to keep everyone's secrets, yet you never share your own."

"Scared I'll use it against you all?" Snape accused bitingly, knowing people didn't trust him yet, even with his supposed heroics today.

"No," she said confidently. "But you have no one to share your burden, it's really quite sad."

With one last spell, Mary finished her work and walked back to the rest of the Order members, disappearing into the crowd. For his life, Snape could not calm the way his heart was palpitating. It was one thing when Granger tried to call him out, but even that he could justify because she knew the bloody future and had apparently known him for the better part of a decade. Yet now this little slip of a woman, who had absolutely no reason to trust him or believe him, seemed to see right into his very being.

The Order was not very good for Severus' way of life. He'd grown up living in the shadows, never truly trusting anyone- especially after Lily. After a certain point, people stopped bothering to ask. That's the way he liked it, or at least he thought he did.

 **~o~o~o~**

As Hermione hurried after Sirius, she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was off. No matter how hard she tried to write it off, part of her knew there was something afoot. She caught up to him in the hallway upstairs, where all the spare bedrooms were.

"Sirius! Wait!"

He halted in his footsteps but didn't turn around to face her.

"Is everything alright?" She asked hesitantly, slightly flustered. _What was she supposed to say? Am I feeling your emotions? Why do I get goosebumps every time you happen to glance in my direction?_

"Fine," he bit out, still not turning. "You should go rejoin everyone downstairs, Hermione."

His posture was taught, as if holding himself together by a string. _From what, though?_ Hermione could only guess. She cautiously stepped up to him.

"Something's different," she said, at a loss for how to describe what she'd been noticing. She'd sound like a lunatic if she tried to tell him what'd actually been happening. When he didn't say anything, she gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'm worried about you."

It was as if her touch had opened the floodgates- she was swept into a rush of intense need, and she couldn't tell if it was all her own. She could feel the charge in the air seconds before he turned and rushed her backwards. His gaze seemed desperate as he backed her against the hall wall.

"Tell me to leave," he told her. When she said nothing he cupped her jaws, forcing her head up to his. "Hermione, tell me to go."

And in the dim hall with his warm body barely an inch away from hers, she could only find one answer. "I don't want you to."

His eyes flickered back and forth from her eyes to her lips, and even with her limited experience, she could tell what he wanted. Yet, he hesitated, at odds with himself. So Hermione gathered all of her Gryffindor wits and pushed herself onto her toes, bringing her lips to meet his. Sirius stiffened under her hesitant hold, and for a second she feared she'd made a horrible mistake.

 _Just because he ended things with Marlene doesn't mean he suddenly wants you._

Before she could pull back and run off, Sirius groaned against her lips, sending shivers down her spine. _She'd never gotten that reaction out of a kiss, not even Krum was that affected._ Sirius wrapped his arms around her, hauling her flush against him. His fingers were splayed on her back, running down to her waist and lower back as if he were trying to feel all of her at once. Her hands flew to his long locks, returning his enthusiasm.

When he reluctantly parted from her, her lips almost followed him. She didn't want this to end.

"Fuck Hermione... I'm not supposed to be doing this to you, I'm sorry," he whispered, their foreheads touching as they breathed together.

"What are you talking about?" She was confused. "I wanted this, I _still_ want this."

She tried to reach for him but he gently caught a hold of her hands as he stepped back.

"You deserve so much better than me," he said, sadly gazing at her flushed face as he tucked a stray strand of hair back behind her ear.

Before he could change his mind and give in to his own selfish desires, he turned on his heel and left. Hermione stood in the hall, still catching her breath. This kiss was everything she'd been wanting but refused to admit. In all her show of being strong and putting the mission and all their futures first, she'd buried her own hopes and desires deep in the sand with her own past. Yet now that the complications were behind them, she couldn't help but hope there was more to Sirius' kiss than passing interest.

 **~o~o~o~**

 **If you guys are a fan of Marauders stories, I've just published a new one called Hiraeth! It's a James Potter romance that eventually follows the canon timeline of James and Lily marrying, but with a whole lot of twists on the way.**

 **Please go check it out! It's a bit lighter in tone than Promise to the Past, but tbh I need the humor as a break in my own writing.**

 **~Mischief Managed**


	23. House of Black

**I apologize for the unanticipated hiatus, life has gotten busy with work and uni and I was a bit unsure of how best to continue this story. But nonetheless, I plan to finish all my stories regardless of how much time it takes!**

 **Thank you to all my faithful readers who checked in from time to time with the surprise review/comment even after months of not updating- even when I'm burnt out and exhausted, you guys motivate me to write.**

 **~ silverstorme**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 23: HOUSE OF BLACK**

Moody moved swiftly in the days following the raid on the McKinnons, quickly taking advantage of the Death Eaters' vulnerability since Snape had taken out some of their more loyal and senior members. The Potters were ecstatic when Dumbledore informed them their victories included regaining control of multiple strong holds and territories- including Potter Manor. Dumbledore himself took the duty of immediately placing the manor under the Fidelius Charm, this time making James himself the secret-keeper.

Lily was absolutely thrilled. As much as she loved Potter Cottage, she missed the centuries old magic pulsing within the walls of the manor, and she wanted nothing more than to raise her children in those walls. And it certainly helped that they no longer needed to stay at Headquarters.

Needless to say, Lily had practically dragged Hermione with them when they shifted to their family home. Hermione had insisted that she was fine staying at the Burrow and didn't want to intrude. James had smirked at her with no mercy, casually informing her of the obscenely large manor that would allow all of them plenty of space with no intrusion whatsoever.

When they'd first apparated Hermione just beyond the boundaries of the Fidelius Charm, she'd tensed up. Last time she visited a grand, pureblood manor, she'd lost everything. She didn't know if deciding to live in one was the best idea for her sanity. But her nerves were immediately put to rest when she passed the warm barrier from the charm, and the view of James' ancestral home became clear. While every bit as grand as Malfoy Manor, Potter Manor was light and welcoming in a way the place from her nightmares simply wasn't. The grey stone walls weren't nearly as intimidating, and the grounds were bursting with gorgeous fountains, gardens, and scuttling wildlife.

It was another morning of blessed peace that found Hermione sitting in the huge kitchen with the Potters and their children. In their efforts to regain the kitchen from the house elves, who'd been horrified when their mistress said she wanted to cook breakfast, James asked them to go straighten up the grounds which were nothing short of extensive.

Hermione was sitting at the counter, closely watching over Harry and Neville. But the boys were eagerly watching as Lily tried to cook them all breakfast while swatting away James every time he'd try to "taste" something ahead of time.

"You'll finish all the food before it's even done cooking," Lily tried to scold, but Hermione could see the grin tugging at her mouth.

"Lil, we have plenty of food," James pointed out goofily.

"Sit," she commanded him.

"I'm not the dog, Sirius is," James blew a raspberry at her.

It was like James summoned his friend with his words because Lily didn't even have the chance to respond before they heard a panicked voice calling for James. His ears immediately perked up.

"Is that-" Lily murmured.

"Sirius," James confirmed in concern. "In the kitchen, mate," he called out loudly.

Sirius burst through the doors, his chest heaving breathlessly. He looked tousled with his hair flying in different directions and his shirt untucked, cuffed, and unbuttoned just one button too many.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked grimly, putting down her dishes.

"They found her-" he gasped, trying to catch his breath. "Begged for help- No other choice-"

"Mate, sit down," James told him, leading him over to the spare seat next to Hermione.

She watched him in concern, wondering what could possibly have Sirius Black so flustered; she'd never seen him so disconcerted- even when he was still on the run after breaking out of Azkaban. Sirius took in gulping breaths, forcing himself to calm down.

"Now what happened?' Lily asked gently.

"Andromeda got a few surprise visitors today."

"Your cousin?" Hermione asked abruptly.

Lily and James nodded, motioning for Sirius to continue.

"Well apparently, You-Know-Who was _not_ pleased after Malfoy was captured. Her sister Narcissa took her son and fled. They want sanctuary."

"Oh..." Lily whispered.

"Looks like you're getting a family reunion, Pads." James pointed out.

Sirius shook his head as if to clear it. "Meda asked me if they should be trusted. She has her own family and kid to worry about and she can't risk her sister being some sort of bait or trap for the Order."

"So..?" Lily asked.

"So I don't know," Sirius exclaimed, throwing up his hands. "I really doubt their views on purebloods have really changed. Narcissa's just scared about her family."

"She must have a reason for being scared," Hermione pointed out. "Besides, if we can offer them a refuge now, that's one less family that gets sucked up by their regime."

"I suppose," Sirius admitted. "I have to go talk to them now, I just couldn't without talking to you all about it first."

"I wish I could go with you, mate," James said regretfully.

"We can't risk that."

"I can go," Hermione said tentatively. "I knew Draco Malfoy from my school years, the Malfoys are not easy to deal with."

"Will you?" Sirius asked hopefully, the relief palpable. Hermione could tell innately that her offer had soothed him deeply, and that made up her mind.

"Of course."

 **~o~o~o~**

Narcissa Malfoy was a proud woman. She was, after all, raised from birth to be that way. Yet when her sister opened her door, she couldn't help but give in to the bone-dreary exhaustion she felt. The rain had soaked past her hastily cast impervious charm hours ago, and she was standing at the doorstep drenched, clutching her shuddering baby boy to her chest while her personal house elf clung to her leg.

Seeing the concern in her sister's eyes was enough for her to fall forward, collapsing in her arms, trusting she would take care of them.

Sirius apparated with Hermione directly into Andromeda's home. He hadn't gotten much information from the patronus he'd received, so they both arrived prepared for an ambush. But the sight of Narcissa had him lowering his wand almost immediately. The mother sat at the edge of the sofa, clutching her son, while Meda tried to cast some drying and warming charms on the both of them.

"Oh Cissa," Sirius whispered sadly. "What happened?"

"Who is she?" Meda asked her cousin, watching Hermione wearily.

"Hermione, Hermione Dumbledore," she stepped forward to introduce herself.

Recognition filled Meda's eyes. "The mysterious Dumbledore," she murmured. "I was wondering when we'd finally meet you."

"Cissa," Sirius whispered, kneeling in front of her. He gently tucked a straggly strand of hair behind her ear, finally catching her attention.

"Sirius?" Her eyes watered at the sight of him.

Narcissa leaned forward, burying her face in his shoulder and taking deep, shuddering breaths.

"It's okay," he murmured comfortingly, rubbing his arms up and down her shoulders. "You're okay."

"I'm sorry," she cried brokenly. "I'm so sorry I've stood opposite you both for so long."

"Shhh... no need for that now." Sirius said in concern, wondering what in the world could've brought her to such a desperate state.

"What happened, Cissa? You need to tell us," her sister asked softly.

Narcissa pulled back, sniffing as her tears subsided. "I never believed the pureblood dogma they kept feeding us, you know. But I was always too scared to say anything; I didn't want to lose my family. Especially after seeing how they cast you out, Meda," she hiccupped.

They nodded, prompting her to continue.

"When Lucius got involved with the Dark Lord, I thought we could keep it out of our family. He wouldn't listen to me about the matter either which way. But after he was captured by your side, the Death Eaters came for us." Narcissa's eyes grew haunted, her arms tightening around her son.

"Love, maybe you should let us take your son?" Sirius asked, noticing the way she was clenching onto him suffocatingly.

"No." She pulled away violently.

"Cissa you can trust us," Sirius told her, rubbing soft circles on her arm. "He'll be right here, but you need to give him some air, you've been holding him with a death grip this entire time."

Noticing he was right, Narcissa finally loosened her hold, allowing Sirius to extract Draco from her arms. Hermione's heart clenched at the sight of a tiny Draco with mussed blonde hair, looking confused and overwhelmed. It was so much harder to hold the sins of the wizard against the small baby in front of her.

"I can take him," Hermione offered, taking him gently from Sirius.

When Narcissa began to protest indignantly, Hermione merely sat down beside her, cradling the boy in her arms. "We'll be right here the entire time," she assured the worried mother.

"What happened when the Death Eaters came for you?" Sirius asked grimly.

Narcissa fiddled with her hands, looking down. "I thought we were safe in the manor," she shook her head. "I thought, there was no way Lucius would let these people in the safety of our home... But the got right through the wards. First they tried to tell us the Dark Lord wanted us close. I suppose as proper motivation for Lucius to not give up any information. I refused to go with them."

Narcissa shuddered, and Hermione realized belatedly that Draco was also twitching slightly in her arms. She tightened her hold to support him more securely.

"There were too many of them," she whispered. "Maybe six or seven? They tried to force me at wand-point. But I knew the moment we left the manor, we'd lose any sort of protection the place offered us. When I wouldn't cooperate, the dragged Draco out of his nursery. They said it would be a lesson to me that the Malfoy's weren't as untouchable as I thought with Lucius gone," she recalled bitterly. "Th-they did a Cruciatus on him."

Sirius blanched, his eyes flying to the tiny, helpless baby. Hermione looked down at the slumbering child in her arms, who was now comfortably cuddled to her chest, seeking out her warmth. The lingering twitches of his body gave it away. Narcissa wasn't lying.

"The enchantments on the manor stopped them almost immediately. No Malfoy gets hurt in their own manor. But it was already too late," she choked. "I knew they could just force us out of the manor and do whatever they wanted, so I just took Draco and ran."

"How'd you find me?" Meda asked curiously.

"Our childhood house elf," Narcissa smiled. "Mother and Father gave me Peachy as a sort of wedding present. She's been with me since, and when I asked her to take us to you, she knew right where to go."

Sirius sighed, running his hand through his hair. "We believe you," he assured Narcissa. "But this _does_ put us in a strange position with Lucius in our custody."

"I know," Narcissa nodded despondently. "But I'll do whatever it takes, just keep my son safe. If I go back, they'll only use him as leverage over us. He'll just be a tool to them."

Sirius looked to Meda helplessly, struggling to help his family unconditionally the way he wanted to. Out of all of his relatives, Narcissa had never been one of the more psychotic ones. He knew that despite the public front she put up, she was actually quite warm.

"Would you agree to your sister taking custody of your wand while you stay with the Order?" Hermione suggested.

The Blacks glanced at Narcissa wearily, fulling expected her to recoil indignantly at the mere suggestion. But she merely hung her head, nodding slowly. "If that's what it takes."

They were able to quickly come to an agreement after that. After letting Moody and Dumbledore know about the development, Sirius put a few precautionary charms on Narcissa's wand before entrusting it to Andromeda.

"Let me know if you need anything," Sirius told Meda quietly as they were preparing to leave.

They'd already settled Narcissa and Draco into the spare room upstairs, where they'd both promptly fallen asleep like the dead.

"Maybe come by more often?" She smiled affectionately. "Sometimes I almost forget I'm not the only rouge Black."

"Looks like our numbers our growing," Sirius said disbelievingly.

"Take care, cousin," Andromeda said. "It was nice to meet you, Hermione."

Before Hermione could respond, Sirius grabbed a hold of her hand, apparating them away.

Hermione landed slightly off balance, but Sirius reached out and grabbed her arm to steady her instinctively. She looked to him in annoyance. It simply wasn't good manners to apparate someone without warning. But his gaze seemed lost, and his hands tightened on her arms subconsciously. Hermione's annoyance melted away.

"Sirius?"

Her soft voice drew his eyes to hers.

Hermione hadn't really had any moments alone with him since that kiss in the hallway of headquarters. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but she was caught off guard by the turmoil in his gaze.

"Did I drive Regulus to them?" He asked in an uncanny haunted tone that she recognized from the man she knew years into the future.

Hermione raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I can't help but wonder," he sighed, his hands tightening on her arms again. "If I'd tried harder to watch out for Reggie, would he have felt the need to join the Death Eaters? Could I have saved him?"

"Sirius, Regulus was a grown man, and he made his choices," Hermione pointed out gently.

"You don't understand," he looked at her wildly. "Every year since I joined Hogwarts, I was rebelling against my parents, taking every opportunity to not go home and to distance myself from the Black family. I should've tried harder to connect with him, to let him know he had other options."

"You weren't responsible for him." She tried to reassure him.

Sirius growled low in his throat, tearing away from her in frustration. He paced away, clenching his hair between his fists. "But I _was._ I was his _big brother_. If I wasn't going to watch out for him in the snake pit that was our family, who would? He never stood a chance..."

He sagged as the guilt of his reckless childhood finally settled on him. He'd spent so bloody long trying to diss everything and everyone Slytherin for the mere sake of making a statement about himself that he completely lost sight of his own family. That was what the majority of his early childhood spats with Snape had been about; there was never any real cause for their animosity at that young age. Snivellus had just been an easy target. And the young, boastful boy he was, he took any opportunity to distinguish himself against Slytherin house.

He could remember early on when Regulus would still be hopeful enough to ask if Sirius was returning home with him on Holidays. Eventually after being turned down and pushed aside, he'd just stopped. Sirius, his real family, had failed him. So he'd turned to his fellow Slytherins for companionship.

Hermione walked up to Sirius slowly, placing her hand at the center of his back. He stiffened immediately.

"You were also a child, but you found the strength to stand up against what you _knew_ was wrong." Hermione bit her lip, struggling to comfort him without sweeping his guilt away. "I know you think there were things you could've done better in retrospect, and there probably were." She admitted. "But no one's perfect, Sirius. We all make mistakes and what defines us is how we grow from them."

She felt a restrained tremble sweep though his body.

"You don't even know half the shit I pulled, Hermione," he said between clenched teeth. "You'd never look at me the same if you did."

"Sirius-"

"I slept around like a slag. I told myself I never fed the girls any false promises, but I always knew they'd hoped they'd finally be the one to change me. But I was too focused on my friends and my new life to give a shite about their feelings."

Hermione sighed. She'd guessed as much.

"Did you know I sent Snape into the shrieking shack on a full moon? The only reason he didn't die that night was because James saved him." He told her.

Hermione froze. She actually never knew that one.

"Yeah I know," he laughed coldly. "I didn't even realize what I did wrong until at least a few years later, not truly. At the time, I just felt bad that Remus was mad at me. Merlin I was terrible."

Hermione slipped her arms around his waist, hugging his back securely. "You are not a bad man, Sirius Black." Hermione said firmly. "Trust me, the man I knew had plenty of time to reflect on all his wrong doings and he came out a good man. I'm sure you've made mistakes, but people have been forgiven for much, _much_ worse. What matters is who you choose to be going forward."

His hands slipped over hers where they rested against his stomach. "That's more than I deserve."

"It's not," she insisted.

Sirius turned, slipping his arms around her and resting his chin on top of her head. She could feel the relief and sliver of peace slip through his body as if it were her own. He merely held her for a moment, inhaling the scent of her hair.

"Thank you," he mumbled into her hair.

"For what?" Hermione mused contentedly.

"For knowing me better than I know myself."

 **~o~o~o~**

The day eventually found Hermione wandering the vast gardens of Potter Manor, walking alongside the orchard of cherry blossoms that had lost their leaves in light of the looming winter. The sharp wind was biting against her skin, but it helped her keep her mind alert.

Sirius had left a few hours ago to follow up with Moody on the situation with Narcissa. He said he'd return to have dinner with them, but it was only mid-afternoon. The Potters were somewhere on the grounds with Neville and Harry, all of them bonding while the kids chased rabbits. Lily had invited Hermione to join them, but she wanted some time to clear her head.

The events of the morning had given the girl a lot to think about. Watching Sirius reunite with part of his family made her slightly nostalgic. Seeing Draco Malfoy- someone who seemed to have such an ever-present role in her life- as an innocent little baby had thrown her off kilter. When she'd returned to her room, she couldn't help but dig up the Resurrection Stone that Dumbledore had entrusted to her. She'd been wandering the grounds for an hour now, trying to work up the nerve to use it. Would she be able to see her friends? Her family?

Finally coming to pause at a small stream, Hermione held the stone in her hand, fingering the sharp ridges in it. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, turning the stone over in her hand once... twice... thrice. She felt a soft breeze pass her, which prompted her to open her eyes hopefully.

Nothing could've prepared her for the disappointment of the empty scene before her. She looked around, even looked behind her, hoping with desperation that she'd managed to conjure someone- anyone. Thinking of her parents, of the Weasleys, Harry, anyone she remembered from Hogwarts, she continued to turn the stone in her hand with growing panic. Every time she did it without result, more tears pooled in her eyes. She sunk to her knees, soundless sobs ripping through her. Each thought sent her spiraling into more wrenching sobs until she was struggling to take in gasping breaths. She didn't know how long she was there crying. She cried until the tears eventually ran out and she was left with a stuffy nose and pulsing headache.

This was precisely why she'd avoided using the stone. She was now the last existing account of her timeline. Whatever people she'd known- her friends- were gone, like ghosts passing on. Only she didn't even get the comfort of knowing they passed on. On one hand she should be glad; the friends who'd known a lifetime of struggles, Harry who'd known a lifetime of pain and pressure, would never have to experience that again. He'd have a family. They all got a second chance for the childhood they were meant to have, including the future Hermione who was still a baby right now. But where did that leave her? She'd diverged from a timeline that had simply disappeared, and here she was in a time where no one remembers her, with people with whom she'd had zero shared experiences- who didn't truly know her. The people who defined her life as a witch, and the experiences she'd had with them were simply erased from time. The only bit of it left were the memories in her head.

She didn't take note of the sun beginning to set over the horizon or the plummeting temperature as time passed. She welcomed the numbness the cold brought, not even bothering to cast a warming charm.

And that was how Sirius found her. Sitting alongside a stream in the cold, small shivers running through her body as she stared out at the distance catatonically. When he'd returned for dinner, and Lily had immediately sent him out looking for Hermione when they realized she wasn't inside the manor. When she didn't hear him approach immediately, he knew there was something wrong; Hermione's instincts and reflexes were honed to that of an assassin and it was near impossible to catch her off guard these days. Instead of grilling her like he'd instinctively wanted to, he cast a warming charm over her, taking a seat next to her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He offered gently.

Hermione shrugged weakly, her eyes not moving from the general nothingness in front of her. He didn't press her, patiently waiting in silence as he kept her company, renewing the warming charm on them every few minutes.

"It finally hit me that I'm alone here," she finally spoke, her voice rough from the crying.

"You are not alone," he said sternly.

Hermione shook her head. "Not like that," she whispered. "Just... the people who know me, the people I grew up with are gone. I know they're technically alive, but they'll never remember me or the adventures we had together. There's no one here who knows what I like to eat when I'm troubled, or that I was almost constantly in the library. No one here knows about S.P.E.W. The people I grew up with are as good as dead because they'll never grow up the same way twice. Especially since we're changing everything."

"Hermione..." Sirius whispered regretfully.

"And I know that's terrible of me. After all, I came back to make sure they could grow up in a world _without_ a second war. But I never thought I'd be the last one us alive. I was prepared to die for the cause, I really was..."

"But it's another thing entirely to be the only one left to live for the cause."

Sirius felt his heart clench when he saw the petite witch shiver violently against another round of tears. He shifted over, drawing her into his embrace.

"I'm so sorry you have to do this alone," he whispered into her hair. He wanted to tell her again she wasn't alone, but he knew it wasn't the same. They could never compensate for the seventeen years she spent with the people from her time. No matter how welcoming they were, they could never replace the lifelong friends who knew her down to her minute quirks.

He rubbed soothing circled into her arm, much like he had with Narcissa, not saying anything but holding her until she could collect the pieces of herself. Hermione finally calmed, nestling into the warmth and the comfort he provided. When Sirius was sure she was calm enough to actually listen to his words, he spoke softly in her ear.

"I know we can never replace your past, and we'd never try to. But we're going to be here for you going forward, whether you want it or not," he huffed stubbornly, hoping it would make her crack a grin. "We might not know you like we know each other yet, but we'll learn. Some things just take time. You're not the same girl who grew up with your friends anymore either, Hermione."

Hermione sniffed softly, nodding against his chest. She truly wasn't. The girl she remembered was a lot more bookish and a lot more caught up in rules and formalities. The Hermione now just didn't have the energy for all that.

"Besides," Sirius pointed out, picking up Hermione's hand. "The ones that love us never really leave us. You can always find them," he placed her hand over her chest, "in here."

Hermione smiled, remembering him saying something similar to Harry back in their third year. With a start, Hermione remembered her bizarre convergence with Harry's magic. _Her_ Harry. Clenching the fabric over her heart, she retreated into herself, desperately seeking that presence that always seemed to flare whenever she was in danger. She sagged with relief when she felt a familiar, warm swirl of magic deep within her, like the burning embers that keep a hearth warm. It was something that she'd grown accustomed to, but was distinctly separate from her own magical core.

"You're right," she whispered. "I can still feel Harry's magic- _my_ Harry."

She turned to look up at him gratefully. As small as it was, it was reassurance that her experience was real; that her whole life, despite being erased, had truly happened. The older Harry's magic within her was proof.

Sirius touched his forehead to hers affectionately. "He's been watching out for you this whole time," Sirius pointed out.

Sinking deeper into his comforting embrace, Hermione realized he was right. She also recognized the slight shift in the man holding her. His patience and insight seemed a lot more reminiscent of the mature man she remembered than the young, wild one she'd been getting to know. She knew he'd never reach the brooding darkness of the Sirius of her time because he'd never be put into Azkaban, but maybe he'd still grow into the man she generally knew him to be. The thought gave her some familiarity and comfort. Because while she was wary of the wild young man and felt the need to create boundaries between them, she could easily fall for the more mature Sirius she remembered him to be.

 **~o~o~o~**

 **I can't promise regular updates because my academic life takes priority every time. That being said, I WILL finish this story. I just don't want to rush and end up with bad chapters.**

 **Also for those who've been waiting patiently for things to get a little spicy between pairings, I'm excited to tell you it's coming within the next few chapters. And just to throw another curveball in, all the Fabian and Hermione shippers have a little something to look forward to** 😉

 **~Mischief Managed**


	24. The Traitor & Matchmaker

**Sorry for the long wait. I've been sitting on this chapter for a while, never entirely happy with how it was turning out. But I suppose the best way is power through instead of remaining stuck and making you all wait so long. Still not entirely happy, but it gets the job done and hopefully the next chapters will spark more fluidity. Thanks for your patience ^_^**

 _ **~ silverstorme**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: THE TRAITOR & MATCHMAKER**

"Fabian!" Hermione exclaimed, heading straight into his arms. "Where's Gideon?"

"He's in there with Pettigrew right now. Though I must say I didn't expect the entire cavalry."

The marauders shuffled their feet uncomfortably behind Hermione. They all decided to make a trip out together to see Pettigrew once Moody had let Hermione know they could. Yet the closer they got to his holding cell, the more nervous they became.

Lily shrugged. "They deserve answers. Besides, seeing us all at once might unnerve him just enough to get what you need from him."

Gideon stepped out of the room, the heavy metal door swinging closed behind him.

"Good luck," he told them wryly. "He's a real piece of work."

Taking a deep breath, James squared his shoulders, bravely leading the others into the room.

"You're not going with them?" Fabian asked Hermione once the door closed behind the bunch.

"No," she shook her head. "I think they need this closure, and I don't really have anything to say to him."

"You guys look horrible by the way," Hermione observed wryly.

"We've been holed up here for the last few days," Gideon sighed. "Those bastards have valuable information, we just need to get them to talk."

"That and you've been sleeping on my couch since you don't technically have a home to return to," Fabian added dryly.

"What?" That was news to Hermione. "What does he mean, Gideon? Was there another attack?"

"No- not at all-" Gideon sputtered.

"Brother dear has oh so graciously offered his flat to the McKinnons," Fabian smirked, shrugging innocently at his brother's glare.

"It's only temporary," Gideon argued, his face tinged red. "What was I supposed to do? They needed a safe place to stay!"

Hermione bit back a smile. "Oh of course, that's rather chivalrous."

"Oh chivalry has nothing to do with it," Fabian laughed. "I think he's rather pleased knowing a certain witch is sleeping in his bed every night."

Gideon smacked his twin's head. "Get your head out of the gutter."

"Oh please," Fabian ruffled his hair straight. "I know how you think, brother mine. We've both been rolling in the same gutter since birth."

"So..." Hermione could no longer hide the shit eating grin spreading on her face. "Marlene. Since when?"

"Not you too," Gideon groaned.

Fabian and Hermione chuckled, enjoying Gideon's squirming. Hermione was rather glad at this news. Marlene seemed like a decent witch, and Gideon would be great to her given the chance. Besides, that would keep her out of Sirius' way. As much as she despised herself for feeling relief at that, she'd be lying to herself if she didn't admit it.

"How've things been going with the interrogations?" Hermione asked soberly.

"Well Pettigrew grovels for his life every time we step in the room," Fabian scoffed in disgust. "But he doesn't seem to actually know anything of value. We even tried veritaserum."

"And Malfoy?"

"Shut up tighter than a grove of devil's snare." Gideon shook his head. "He's even immune to veritaserum. Must've built a tolerance with all those false testimonies in front of Wizengamot."

"Do you think he could help?"

"Oh he's a bloody gold mine, all right," Fabian confirmed. "But he's not talking unless he wants to."

"I might actually know something that could help," Hermione said tentatively. "Mrs. Malfoy and her son were recently taken into protective custody by the Order. She might be able to convince him to turn."

"Why would she," Fabian asked dubiously. "More likely they'll try to regroup and escape."

"I don't think so," Hermione said. "She's determined never to go back to the Death Eaters- she's too good a mother and she's scared about her son's life."

"Might be worth the try," Gideon shrugged. "We don't have any other ideas."

 **~o~o~o~**

The trio were discussing logistics of bringing Narcissa into the fold when the door to Pettigrew's cell slammed open. The surprised trio stared in surprise as a tall figure stormed past them straight to the exit, his dark coat billowing behind him. Hermione looked back to see the rest of the Marauders filing out Pettigrew's holding cell.

"Where's Black going?" Fabian asked curiously.

The Marauders stared after their friend in concern. The door slammed as Sirius walked out, and he immediately transformed, breaking into a sprint on four paws. James moved to rush forward, but Remus stopped him.

"Let him go, he needs time."

James sighed in frustration but nodded reluctantly.

"You could say that didn't go too well," Lily said grimly.

"Shouldn't someone go with him?" Hermione asked in concern.

"He'll be back soon enough," Lily shrugged, pulling a wand out of her coat. "He forgot his wand."

"The idiot left without his wand?" Gideon exclaimed. "Not like we're in the middle of a war or anything."

"Lily had to take it from him so he couldn't hex Pettigrew before we could talk to him," Remus filled them in.

"So what happened?" Hermione asked. How badly could things have possibly gone that Sirius stormed out in the middle of a war forgetting his own wand. He was a wizard for Merlin's sake, one doesn't just forget their wand.

"Well at first he was just begging us to forgive him," James said sadly. "Sirius was not having any of that. It was almost heartbreaking, really... well, at least until he stopped the charade."

"Oh no..." Hermione mumbled, having a bad feeling.

"He blamed us," Remus said curiously. "Seemed pretty bitter about it too. Said we always underestimated him. That he was never meant to be a lackey."

James scoffed. "We treated him like our brother, and he thinks-" James looked to ceiling in heartbroken anger. "He certainly hid it well."

"I really am sorry it turned out this way," Hermione told them.

"We should've listened to you sooner," James shrugged weakly. "It's our own fault. Maybe Frank and Alice would still be alive if we did."

"Don't do that," Hermione warned him sincerely. "It's dangerous to linger in the past. You couldn't have known."

"I hope Sirius comes back soon," Remus said. "You lot aren't supposed to be out and about this long," he gestured to the Potters.

"I can wait for him," Hermione offered. "Go back to Potter Manor."

"You sure?" Lily asked carefully. "I wouldn't want to leave you alone."

While Lily seemed cautious of Hermione's renewed faith in Sirius, Remus merely smiled serenely.

"I'll be fine," Hermione waved off.

"I'll be here for a little longer too," Fabian cut in. "So don't worry about her being alone."

"In that case, you might need this," Lily handed Sirius's wand to Hermione.

They disapparated away in a flurry, leaving Hermione with the Prewetts.

"I might need to pop out for a moment," Gideon said.

"Checking on MacKinnon?" Fabian smirked.

"Oh shut it," he mumbled as he too disapparated.

Fabian turned to Hermione next, the mischievous gleam still bright in his eyes.

"So Black is it?"

Hermione cocked her head in confusion. "What?"

"Somehow you two end up pushed together time and time again." Fabian observed, shrugging innocently.

"I'm just waiting to return his wand." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"He hovers around you, you know? More so recently than ever."

Hermione looked at him doubtfully. "He does not."

"Like a moth to a flame," he confirmed. "You might not notice, you usually keep yourself surrounded by people. But I have." Fabian seemed entirely confident in his assertion.

"Well it's nothing like that," Hermione shook her head adamantly.

"Trying to convince me or yourself, love?" Fabian grinned gently.

"Sirius Black apparently finds interest in anyone in a skirt," Hermione shrugged. "I wouldn't really romanticize that if I were you. I'm certainly not falling for it."

 _Not again._

"He chases skirts," Fabian clarified. "I've certainly never seen him watch from afar like a lost puppy."

"You're mad," Hermione laughed half-heartedly, her heart beating faster.

She didn't know what Fabian was playing at, but she wasn't trying to get her hopes up again. They'd just gotten to a place where she felt some sort of normalcy with him. Sirius seemed more mature since the raid on Pettigrew's supposed hideout. Much more like the Sirius she knew. Despite their stolen kiss in the abandoned hall of headquarters, Sirius didn't seem to have any romantic intention. He'd never mentioned it again.

"You sure?" He quirked an eyebrow playfully. "Would you bet on that?"

"Absolutely."

Fabian threw her a wicked smirk. "Don't slap me," he warned as he stepped into her personal bubble.

"Why would I-"

Before Hermione's confused thought could take root, the tall wizard slid his hands into her hair, tilting his head up to gently press her lips to his. Hermione froze in surprise. His strong, warm presence was comforting, but the kiss was entirely chaste and sent her thoughts racing a million miles a minute.

But before she could even give attention to the thousand questions racing at his unexpected kiss, she felt a deep and raw twisting in her heart. It was too familiar. With a tinge of sadness, she realized why- she hadn't felt this way since she saw Ron snogging Lavender for the first time in a crowd full of their friends. She stepped away from Fabian, his arms releasing her easily enough. Her head instinctively flew to the door, where unsurprisingly, Sirius Black stood frozen.

His coat and hair were glistening with the misty rain outside, but nothing could've warned Hermione of the unprepared shock on his face. The surprise was quickly followed by a frown and a burrow of his eyebrows- dare she hope, disappointment?

"Sorry," he mumbled, backtracking clumsily. Sirius Black was not a clumsy man.

Hermione looked back to Fabian desperately as Sirius walked away. She couldn't help but feel like she'd be letting go of something really important if she just let him leave this time. But she couldn't leave this hanging with Fabian either.

Lone behold, the wizard merely winked at her, his dimples peeking out of the smile he just couldn't hold back.

"Told you," he simply said. "Now go get him."

"You-"

"Set you up yes," Fabian rolled his eyes. "Haven't you heard, I'm quite the matchmaker these days."

"What if I fell for you?" Hermione scoffed, undecided whether she should be outraged or amused.

"Did you?" Fabian raised an eyebrow knowingly.

"No," Hermione exhaled. "It was like if I kissed Harry."

"The baby?" Fabian made a face. "Merlin, witch. You've got some problems."

"My best friend," she finally laughed, punching Fabian lightly.

"Exactly," Fabian smiled. "So go after him. He clearly wants it as much as you do if that reaction was anything to go by."

She shot him a quick grin, running out the door where Sirius had stumbled out not a minute ago. Luckily she still had his wand, so he couldn't apparate. When she stepped out into the misty rain of the cloudy afternoon, she was relieved to see a tall, dark form walking despondently away from the safe house. Not that he could go far; this safe house was placed strategically off the edge of a cliff- leagues away from the nearest village, wizard or muggle. She counted herself lucky that he hadn't simply transformed into his dog form and sprinted away again.

As she approached him, she could feel that resonating desperation inside herself- like a cycle of anxiety, fear, and helplessness rolling into each other. Looking at Sirius and how he didn't even notice her approaching despite his naturally heightened senses, she'd bet Harry's life that was how he was feeling because she herself was rather hopeful at the moment. The thought gave her a slight pause. _Why would she feel his emotions so acutely? It wasn't the first time either. She wasn't that perceptive- brightest witch of her age of not._ She tucked the thought aside as she called out after him.

"Sirius!"

He froze, sighing when he realized there was nowhere to run. He didn't have his wand, and eventually he'd have to come back and face her anyway.

"Hermione," Sirius greeted stiffly, turning to her.

"You left so quickly-"

"I figured you and Prewett needed some time," he cut in tonelessly.

 _Yet that aching feeling pulsed within her._

"I don't want you to misunderstand-"

"It's fine," he shook his head. "You deserve to be happy, and Prewett is a decent wizard." He grimaced unintentionally, as if it pained him to admit it.

"He is," Hermione smiled knowingly, watching him closely now. She couldn't help the small satisfaction when he lowered his head disappointedly. "But he can't make me happy- at least not in the way you're thinking."

Sirius's eyes clashed with hers in surprise.

"It certainly didn't look like that," he told her quietly.

"He was just trying to prove a point." She shrugged.

"What bloody point is worth a kiss?" Sirius asked incredulously, his annoyance flaring.

"Well he certainly proved it," she tilted her head at him appraisingly, making him freeze under her gaze. "Why are you so bothered by it?"

"I'm not-"

"Don't bother denying it," she warned knowingly.

"I- I..."

"Why did you kiss me that day at headquarters and leave?" Hermione pushed for answers.

Sirius could feel the slight panic tinged with guilt at her prompting. He knew it wasn't fair to her to lose control like that and try to take it back. But it was for her own good; Hermione needed space to settle and starting anything between them would only confuse her, especially since it would likely lead to her finding out about the bond eventually. Despite how much he wanted her, he couldn't be selfish with her anymore.

Little did he know, the bond was stronger than he'd anticipated, and Hermione could pick up on the passing guilt, making a quick mental note of it.

"You told me," he began hoarsely, finally finding his voice. "You told me you didn't want anything more than friendship, and I wanted to respect that. I thought you meant you weren't looking for any relationship, but I understand now you just meant me. Fabian is a good guy, Hermione."

"Sirius," Hermione spoke gently. "Fabian and I are not together, nor do we want to be. His point was to prove to me you want me as much as I want you."

His stormy grey eyes flew to hers in surprise. "But you said-"

"I know what I said. I was still hurt and guarded," she sighed deeply. "Besides, you were still grieving for the Longbottoms. It wasn't a good time to try and start something after all that miscommunication."

"So what changed your mind?" He asked intently. He had to know it wasn't simply because he bound himself to her. Even if she was unwittingly being influenced by it.

"You did," she smiled softly. "For a while, I was scared that despite having known you and Remus in my time, that I didn't truly know the men you were today because you were so different. Especially after the whole Pettigrew thing. I suppose I tried to create those boundaries so I didn't set myself up to be disappointed."

"I'm so sorry," Sirius blanched. He hadn't quite realized how scarring it might've been for her to receive such a defensive side of them when they were a few of the only ones she was truly familiar with from her time.

"It's okay, I know you are," she assured quickly. "But these past few days... I don't know, you just remind me a lot of the Sirius I remember. I didn't even know if that'd ever be possible since my Sirius grew out of some rather extreme circumstances."

Sirius smirked slowly, the hope returning to his eyes. "I see... and _your_ Sirius, is he someone you could see yourself trusting?"

Hermione blushed, not even realizing she's referred to Sirius as _hers._

"I already do," she assured confidently.

As she took a step forward, Sirius immediately stepped back- the spell broken.

"Hermione," he said regretfully. "You deserve better, you deserve time to find your place, your people. I can't be selfish with you," he admitted softly.

Hermione could feel the guilt pulsing through him again. Sirius knew it was from keeping the bond from her- which he hoped to do for the rest of her life since he'd never wanted that burden for her. But Hermione, only being privy to his rawest emotions, studied him hesitantly.

"It's not selfish if we both want the same thing," Hermione said softly. "Unless it's going to be like last time and you run to another woman at the first sign of trouble."

Sirius flinched slightly, the thought not even crossing his mind until she reminded him. If he were being honest, he'd never even thought of going to Marlene as a betrayal to Hermione. In his mind, sex and loving had often been so separate. He almost laughed at the irony of it. She was still scared he might walk away from her when he'd literally just bound his soul to hers in the most ancient magical way possible. He'd already known his attachment to her ran deeper than he'd admitted to himself, even before the bonding. But could he learn to openly love the way this witch deserved? He'd never had the best role models for love.

"Sirius?" She asked in growing concern.

Sirius sighed at her weakening hope. If he could do it for anyone, it had to be her. He'd never felt this strongly, this intensely before. Not about anyone.

"I won't ever give you reason to doubt my loyalty again," he swore seriously.

"Good."

She stepped into his welcoming embrace, feeling for the first time in months like coming home.

 **~o~o~o~**

 **So during my course of writer's block, I published a one-shot (Bill x Hermione). It's basically a "what if Hermione didn't mesh romantically with the marauders." It kind of follows the entire premise of Promise to the Past. Either way, it was inspired by a review of someone who loved how little Bill Weasley became Hermione's knight in shining armor when the marauders were being jerks.**

 **Short and sweet, please go check it out :) It's called 'Full Circle** '


	25. Turn of the Tide

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: TURN OF THE TIDE**

"Do you think you could do it?" Hermione pleaded. "You might be our only hope."

"I don't know," the proud witch murmured insecurely.

Hermione never thought she'd ever see the day she'd sit down to have tea with the one and only Narcissa Malfoy. But after hearing her plan, Sirius had readily volunteered to take her back to his cousin so they could convince her to talk to her husband.

"You're his wife!" Hermione exclaimed. "And you and your son are in danger- surely that's enough to make him turn!"

A delicate but nonetheless bitter laugh escaped Narcissa.

"So naive," she observed shrewdly. "Clearly you weren't raised in pureblood society."

Hermione's back stiffened immediately, her hand subconsciously moving to cover the sleeve under which the wretched slur tainted her skin. She forcefully reminded herself she wasn't a mudblood to this witch- she was a Dumbledore. Sirius, immediately noticing the placement of her hand, felt impatience flare within him.

"Look Cissa," he said in a firm tone. "If you truly want to reconcile with Andromeda and have the open support of the Order, you're going to need to try a lot harder to get rid of the prejudices you were raised with."

Narcissa blinked in a surprise, caught off guard by Sirius's abrupt hardened stance.

"Oh that wasn't an insult," Narcissa assured Hermione quickly. "Merlin, how could it be? You _are_ a Dumbledore, after all. I merely meant it was rare to find someone raised in our circles who had such idealistic thoughts on marriages and families."

"It doesn't quite work like that in high pureblood society, love," Sirius told her regretfully, agreeing with his cousin. "Most marriages are arranged to maintain purity. Love is a rare but happy byproduct."

"And Lucius even more so is unlikely to change his ways. Even for his family," Narcissa said. "He was even harsher about his views than my own parents." A haunting look came over the woman before her neutral facade was smoothly slipped back into place.

"But speaking of which," she turned back to Sirius regally. "You needn't worry about my loyalties, dear cousin. I've met Theodore, and I think he's lovely. He and Meda have a beautiful, talented daughter. Did you know she's a metamorphmagus?"

Sirius's resolute expression broke into a small grin. "I know. She's beautiful."

"She's a Black," Narcissa shrugged. "Of course she is."

"So you'll try to convince him?" Hermione asked.

"I shall try my best," Narcissa nodded.

"Great!" Sirius clapped. "Andromeda can bring you the safe house when you're ready. We'll see you within the hour."

As they left the woodsy but massive cabin, Hermione caught Sirius's hands. He turned to her in surprise, looking down at their intertwined hands.

"Thank you," Hermione said quietly.

"For what?" His lips quirked in amusement.

"For standing up for me back there," Hermione met his eyes. "I know she didn't even know the full extent of what she'd said to me- or at least the significance of it. But I appreciate it nonetheless."

Sirius smiled tenderly, his fingers coming up to brush a few fluttering strands of hair out of her face. His hand lingered as he watched her contemplatively. "I know I'm not the person you're used to having at your shoulder all the time," he said with a sheepish smile. "But those boys are babies right now, so you'll just have to get used to the idea that I'm not going anywhere, and I will be doing all those things they used to do for you."

Hermione's heart fluttered at the confidence in his gaze. She wasn't sure if he knew exactly how important that was for her to hear, but she felt a deep part of her finally relax from the anxious knot it had been in.

She wasn't alone.

 **~o~O~o~**

 **~ Safe House... Order Stronghold for Prisoners**

"Are you sure you know what to do?" Fabian asked Narcissa once more.

Andromeda had brought Narcissa to the safe house promptly, but they hadn't anticipated baby Draco and an energetically curious Nymphadora Tonks accompanying them. Fabian and Gideon were both professionally polite as this was the first time they were actually meeting the Black family- besides Sirius. Remus was also with them, but James and Lily had chosen to sit this one out, deciding not to risk more outings than necessary- especially now that they had two young children depending on them.

"Yes, I'm quite sure," Narcissa said succinctly.

"Because we can go through it once more if you'd like," Fabian assured.

In a moment of uncharacteristic surprise, Narcissa Malfoy actually rolled her eyes.

"Despite what you may think of me, please note that I actually do have a brain," she said dryly, her eyes flashing with impatience.

Fabian jerked back in surprise, his jaw dropped. Hermione snickered before she could stop herself, amused by Narcissa's hidden sass as well as Fabian's Gryffindor chivalry backfiring.

He closed his mouth, before a wry smile broke across his lips. "Consider it noted, Mrs. Malfoy."

He opened Lucius's cell to them, waiting as Narcissa and Gideon walked in. Andromeda knelt down to Tonks, whispering to her to be good as she too followed her cousin into the room. Fabian was the last to enter the room before the door closed, leaving heavy anticipation in the air.

Draco was still a bit dazed from his traumatizing encounter with the Death Eaters, and was happy to rest in Hermione's arms. To her immense surprise, when the Blacks had first gotten to the safe house, the young Malfoy had immediately recognized her from the one time she'd held him. He went to her arms willingly and eagerly, finding it all too easy to settle into her warm embrace.

Hermione was nothing short of flabbergasted. Who knew Draco Malfoy was such a lover? She'd rather expected him to be a spoiled, loud, and somewhat nasty child. Yet he was a bit reserved and all together charming.

Sirius had found the whole scene all too amusing.

"So you've got the magic touch with all the kids," he laughed. "Soon enough Harry and Draco are going to be fighting over you. Not to mention Bill, he's head over heels for you."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I definitely didn't see this one coming. Draco Malfoy was my childhood bully. Though him and Harry fighting would be nothing new to me."

"Look! Now I look like the Black side of my family," Nymphadora exclaimed, tugging on Sirius's coat. The young girl had changed her normally lavender hair to a dark black, her hazel eyes lightening to the striking grey-blue that many of Sirius and his cousins shared.

"You don't need to change yourself to be a Black," Sirius ruffled her hair affectionately. "It's already in your blood."

Tonks hummed happily, her gaze drifting to Remus, who until then had been seated with the rest of them but remained relatively quiet. Hermione almost laughed out loud when she noticed the way he was looking at Tonks- half in uncertain contemplation, like she was a puzzle he couldn't piece together, and half in fear.

"Wooahh..." she said, walking over to him. "Where did you get those scars?"

Remus's eyes followed her like a hawk, and he gulped when she looked to him expectantly. "An unfortunate accident," he muttered. He'd never liked the scars on his face- they made it too hard to forget what he was.

Tonks tilted her head, studying him in a childlike curiosity before she squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating hard. The others watched in surprise as scars knitted themselves onto her skin, much like the ones Remus wore.

He looked at her, horrified.

"I think they look cool," Tonks shrugged innocently. "You must have been very brave to survive them."

Hermione smiled, blown away at the window into the woman she knew Tonks would become. She was awed when she witnessed Remus softening as he leaned over to brush his fingers across the girl's adopted scars, explaining to her that she was the brave one for being so accepting.

Sirius had glanced at Hermione, and he looked at her questioningly when he noticed her entranced expression as she watched Remus and Tonks. She smiled at him, leaning in to whisper in his ear.

"Maybe some things are written in the stars- meant to be beyond time and space."

Sirius looked at her, puzzled. But then he followed her gaze back to his best friend and his cousin. His gaze flew back to Hermione in alarm, hoping she didn't mean what he thought she meant.

Hermione shrugged, smiling at the sight of them.

"Maybe I didn't need to know that quite yet," Sirius whispered back, looking sightly sick.

Hermione snorted, rolling her eyes. "You asked for transparency."

"How was I to know my best friend would end up with my baby cousin?" He whispered incredulously.

"Their age gap isn't _that_ bad," Hermione insisted. "Better than what ours is," she pointed out.

"You're only like four years younger than me," Sirius insisted.

"Semantics," Hermione rolled her eyes. "Technically- at least according to my birth certificate- you're twenty one years my senior."

"Nope," Sirius shook his head resolutely. "Not the same."

"Whatever lets you sleep at night," she smirked. "Just... don't tell Remus yet. He'd just freak out and then avoid Tonks at all cost. They deserve to be able to figure it out themselves. If it happens, then it was meant to be. If not, neither's the wiser. I don't even know if the timeline for them will stay the same, but in my time she was really good for him."

"Trust me love, all I want to do is obliviate that knowledge right out of my head. No need to worry about me blabbing to Remus." Sirius fake gagged.

"I'm quite good with memory charms," Hermione said teasingly. "I could always give it a go."

The two leaned into each other, chuckling quietly as they eavesdropped on the young witch grilling a flustered Remus with a never ending stream of questions. It was about time someone managed to get calm and controlled Remus well and properly flustered.

 **~o~O~o~**

"Narcissa?"

For the fist time since he'd been a prisoner, Lucius Malfoy was genuinely caught off guard. There's no way his wife was in front of him right now. They were playing with his head, that's it. They must've used polyjuice. His wife was supposed to be tucked away safely behind the walls of Malfoy Manor.

"Lucius," she exhaled, feeling reassured at the whole, relatively hale sight of him.

"Your tricks won't work on me," Lucius frowned at the Prewetts. "Though I must say, bringing in my wife's blood traitor of a sister was a good touch." He sneered at Andromeda.

Narcissa stiffened, the look of relief slipping away into discomfort and tense anticipation.

"Don't speak to her like that," she said softly. "You owe her your wife and child's life."

Lucius's eyes hardened on his Narcissa.

"You're not my wife." He spit at her disdainfully. "My wife would never talk back to me."

Fabian and Gideon exchanged an uncomfortable glance, not knowing whether to intervene.

"Well your wife never expected to be attacked in her own bloody home, so perhaps I have a reason to finally talk back!" She replied, her voice growing louder and louder until she was fuming at him.

Lucius went wide-eyed in shock. _No._

"Narcissa?" He asked hesitantly, really studying her now.

"It's me, Lucius," she nodded wearily, the exhaustion of the past week hitting her all over again.

"Why are you here? Why are you with them?" He looked to the others in disgust.

"We were attacked," she told him again. "They came looking for us in the Manor- the Dark Lord's henchmen. And when I refused to leave, they tried to Crucio Draco. I knew I couldn't stay there, so I fled to Andromeda."

Lucius froze. "They what?"

"T-they tortured our baby," Narcissa exhaled shakily.

Lucius's nostrils flared as he assessed her, conflicted. "You could've sought out the Dark Lord," he insisted. "He would've offered you sanctuary."

"Who do you think ordered your former colleagues to come after us?" Narcissa pleaded. Surely he couldn't be so blind to the truth.

"Then he must have a reason!" Lucius insisted, his voice rising now.

Narcissa stared at her husband in dumb shock. "They wanted to use us as insurance you wouldn't talk to the Order. They _tortured_ your son, a _baby_ , and yet you still defend them?"

"The Dark Lord is merciful," Lucius insisted. "We can still go back."

"There is no going back! I will not sacrifice my family for your cause, not again!" She cried out in an outburst, breathless by the end.

Andromeda slipped her hand into her sister's, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

He sneered at her with a cold disregard. "What a disgrace to the Black name, to think another has turned blood traitor."

Narcissa's face fell in despair for a moment, but she recollected herself with the support of her sister's strong presence.

"Think very carefully on this Lucius. Because I will disappear from your life if that's what you truly think, and I'll take Draco with me."

"You're not taking my heir anywhere," Lucius snarled, his previously indifferent facades melting away to reveal the dangerous man underneath.

"He's your _son._ Though clearly you see no other value to him. So yes, I will be taking him."

"Don't do this Narcissa," he warned lowly. "I can forgive you still, but not if you betray everything we hold dear."

Narcissa watched her husband, her delicately shaped hopes for their marriage and family completely shattered. Her eyes gathered unwanted tears she'd held at bay the entire time, but she was unable to hide them any longer. "You've already betrayed everything I hold dear. And this time I don't think I can forgive you."

Lucius flew to his feet, his hands slamming down on the table as he glared at her, the sound of the rattling chains on his wrists ringing through the dark room.

"Come on," Andromeda pulled her little sister out of her husband's toxic presence, grateful the Prewetts didn't insist on them staying.

She pulled Narcissa out of the room, standing steadily by her. Andromeda was concerned she was still shaking, knowing Blacks and Malfoys alike were never easily open with their emotions and weaknesses.

"What happened?" Sirius asked them, sensing the tension.

"His priorities don't align with his family," Andromeda said shortly.

"I was afraid of that," Hermione grimaced. "But we had to try. I would've asked Snape, but Lucius already threatened to kill him for defecting."

"Severus is with you all?"

Hermione nodded. "Always has been. I'm just sorry about your husband."

Narcissa shrugged weakly, forgetting to keep up her appearances. "He never had our best interests at heart. If he had, he would've never joined the Death Eaters."

"I was so surprised when they arranged your marriage to him," Andromeda said.

Narcissa smiled weakly. "Well, after you ran off, they just scrambled to get me matched as soon as they could. Turned out it was to the highest bidder."

Andromeda's face crumpled in guilt, but her sister went to reassure her.

"No it's fine, I promise. I was always glad you were able to get out. I would've never had the courage to resist either way- if it wasn't Lucius, it would simply be another one in the Dark Lord's ranks."

"You resisted today," Gideon pointed out with silent commendation.

"Yes, well..." Narcissa smiled. "I am a mother first and foremost, I should at least do right by that."

"I'm sure we'll find some other way to get him to talk," Fabian shrugged. "May not be conventional, but clearly he's beyond redemption if he won't even change for his only family."

Narcissa turned to the Prewetts in surprise.

"You just wanted information?"

"Yes..." they said hesitantly.

"And here I thought you wanted him to defect," she rolled her eyes. "If you simply needed information, you should've said so before. I have plenty."

Fabian looked at her in surprise, and everyone else was caught off guard when Narcissa laughed at the sight.

"My head truly isn't filled with dust, no matter what you may believe."

"Of course not," Fabian agreed immediately. "But if you have valuable information that can help the Order, do let us know."

Narcissa arched an eyebrow regally, a truly cheshire smirk gracing her features. "Be prepared to take notes."


	26. Secrets Unraveling

**26 | SECRETS UNRAVELING**

Narcissa's information proved to be quite fruitful. The Death Eaters hadn't expected the demure pureblood witch to become a well of secrets, but after months of being her husband's confidant, she had enough intel to give the Order a considerable advantage.

The Prewetts took Narcissa straight to Moody, the group of them eagerly asking for details as they mapped out the plans for their upcoming raid. The Order had suspected a stronghold of resources and a hub for the Death Eaters' network was based out of Nott Manor- it was why the Prewetts were sent there on the night they were ambushed. Narcissa not only happily confirmed their suspicions, but she smugly told them exactly how to get in, the fortress's weaknesses, escape routes, and internal layout.

Fabian watched in respect as she wandlessly but magically sketched out neat and delicate blue prints of the manor onto spare parchment. He bumped Gideon in the shoulder, gesturing to the slowly growing layouts as if they'd just hit a gold mine. In a sense they had- this was precisely the information they needed to cut out the Death Eaters' legs from under them while minimizing their own losses.

When she'd finished, Moody gave her a rare but approving grunt of appreciation. Gideon was smiling gratefully while Fabian merely watched in slack-jawed awe. Her lips had quirked up at their reaction.

The young witch hadn't anticipated how much fun it would be to prove these wizards wrong of every misconception they had of her.

After nearly a week of careful planning and strategizing, Moody felt ready to call the Order together for the raid. If they managed to pull this off, this could be one of the turning points for the entire war. Voldemort was mortal once again- not that Narcissa knew any of that when she'd willingly revealed information.

"We need all capable Order members in this raid," Moody said sternly. "This is it. This is the night that will shape how the rest of the war will go. If we succeed, the war might be over sooner than we think. I need all your heads in this."

Headquarters was packed to the brim with a sea of nodding heads, everyone ready to go out and finally do something. Too long they'd merely been hiding, trying covertly to oppose Voldemort's influences in the Ministry. Too long they'd been forced underground and into hiding. The room was filled with Order members, aurors, strategists, healers, and allies alike.

Lily was the Order's main Healer in training, even though she'd seen more critical patients in the course of this war than most Healers during their entire career. She agreed to stay at Headquarters to coordinate a team for medical care alongside Madam Pomfrey, Amelia Bones, and Andromeda.

Nearly everyone else was recruited for combat. Even James, despite everyone's protests, had insisted he wouldn't sit idly by as his friends and comrades went into battle when he was perfectly healthy, and was good with a wand.

"Please watch out for him," Lily pleaded to the boys.

Sirius and Remus both dropped an affectionate peck to her head. "We always do,"

Everyone was assigned a partner, and they were told point blank that if someone was to get injured in the raid their partner was supposed to escort them back for medical treatment. The Prewetts were paired together. Sirius and James had immediately chosen each other, and Remus partnered with Hermione. The others paired off as well, but almost everyone left was wary of partnering with Severus Snape. Those who trusted him enough to have their back in battle were already paired. Hermione considered offering to switch when Mary calmly asked to be his partner. Her serene tone as she easily went up to Severus reminded Hermione a lot of Luna Lovegood.

"Let me go with you! I can help!" An irate Narcissa cried, stalking over to Moody and the Prewetts.

"You're grounded for this one missy." Moody said firmly. "One: we don't know if we can trust you in battle when you've been raised with these people. You haven't even earned your wand privileges back yet. Two: your knowledge is far too valuable for us to lose you to one raid."

Moody walked away, considering the matter handled.

"BUT-" she sputtered indelicately.

"Sorry Princess," Fabian shrugged innocently, though he agreed with Moody wholeheartedly. "It'll take some time before you earn a set of wings around here."

Narcissa bristled with anger, outright glaring at the tall wizard. Gideon, who stood nearby was staring at his brother in concern- judging by the hard glint in Narcissa Malfoy's eyes, she was not one to be trifled with. But Fabian seemed entirely unbothered as the witch nearly steamed with frustration.

"Don't call me a Princess," she bit out.

"Looks like Princess, certainly acts like a Princess," Fabian grinned in amusement. "Must be a Princess."

She glared at him as he walked away chuckling. He'd never had so much fun riling someone up in his life.

Groups of them stood together in tight anticipation, waiting for Moody's signal. While some of them were meant to serve as an ambush and diversion, other groups were assigned to sneak in through passages that led to their private stores. It was an operation meant to be both covert and an attack all at once.

Hermione found Sirius's eyes across the room. She nodded to him and he tilted his head back at her. _See you on the other side._

 **~o~O~o~**

The raid was the epitome of organized chaos.

Moody had led most of the brute force fighters in through the most obvious weaknesses in Nott Manor's defenses, making their plan seem like a frontal attack. However once the Manor's wards had dropped and Moody and his team had the Death Eaters engaged, Hermione, Remus, Severus, and Mary had snuck in through secret passages to go find their supplies of potions, ingredients, looted riches, and endless documents of intelligence. Since Severus knew his way around the manor, they'd decided he'd lead the covert arm of the raid. It was best he stayed out of sight anyway so he didn't antagonize any of the Death Eaters. He'd have an even bigger target on his back than the rest of them.

When they arrived at a fork in the winding halls of the manor, they parted ways. They'd agreed to temporarily switch partners; Remus and Mary would go down to the dungeons to find and rescue their prisoners. Remus's elevated senses and fast reflexes would be perfect for the rescue operation, while Mary's intermediate healing skills would be necessary for helping the prisoners out of the place. Hermione and Severus were on the path to their supplies stores.

The room had been more like an entire hall. Hermione had been shocked to see the sheer scale of their operation. Potions lined the walls for all purposes. Fresh potions ingredients were categorized and alphabetized in neat shelves. There were enough parchments of intel to fill an entire library- information on all suspected Order members, information on their families, old spell books, and numerous contacts serving in high rank positions.

"How do we handle this?" Hermione asked in awe. There was way too much for them to quickly sort through.

"The potions ingredients will be helpful," Snape instructed confidently. "Collect all of them in that extendable bag of yours, as well as any of the potions you think will be useful. Some of them are curses or dark potions, I'm sure we could leave them behind."

Hermione barely had time to be fazed when he called her out on her extendable purse, immediately sorting through the potions stuff. Severus immediately started scanning the shelves of books, shrinking documents he deemed important while pulling the rest off of the shelves and to the floors.

It had taken them all of fifteen minutes to haphazardly get through the whole collection.

"I hope I got everything," Hermione said worriedly.

"We don't have time," Severus said practically. "We did the best anyone could do."

"What do we do with the rest?" Hermione asked nervously, looking at the remaining potions that had been more harmful than helpful and the tombs of dark magic and information on the Order members.

"We burn it." Severus said resolutely. "With Fiendfyre."

"That's too dangerous-" Hermione blanched.

"It's too risky not to," Snape argued. "Fiendfyre is the only way to ensure they can't restore any of these documents."

"I don't know..." Hermione hedged.

"You cast it," Snape instructed calmly. "Keep it gentle. I'll put it out when you tire out."

Hermione nodded in resolve. He was right- this was the best way to make sure no one could ever get their hands on this stuff again. They worked together in strained concentration as they set the room alight, struggling to put the fire out. But put it out, they did.

"Alright we have to go!" Hermione said breathlessly, headed out to where she knew the rest of the Order were keeping the Death Eaters busy.

Looking out onto the battle, her hopes were restored a little as she noticed the Order was winning, successfully felling many of the Death Eaters.

"Hermione! Severus!" Remus called out, jogging up to them as they stared onto the lawn filled with duels. They were still in the cover of the woods right behind the manor, right where the secret passages began.

"Where's MacDonald?" Severus asked immediately.

"She stayed behind at Headquarters to help with all the prisoners we rescued. Some of them were in bad shape."

"You're supposed to stay with your partner," Hermione insisted to Remus.

"Mary's not hurt," he told her rationally. "Besides, they need us out on the field."

"Alright, we stick together then," Hermione said, both wizards nodding in confirmation.

They joined the battle, sticking together in a tight formation. The three of them dueled seamlessly, despite their turbulent histories. Hermione could glimpse Sirius and James dueling two Death Eaters head on across the lawn, both of them engaged in a dance of flourished wand movements and sharp jabs. It was rather beautiful in a haunting way.

Most of the Death Eaters she could recognize as younger versions of the people who'd been infamous terrors in her time. Luckily for them, she didn't see Bellatrix or Voldemort, and assumed they'd caught them at a time the stronghold was only filled with secondary Death Eaters and not their inner circle.

Hermione got caught in the lull of dueling, the spells coming more instinctively as she fought off one after another.

She was doing fine... until she saw him.

The last time she'd been on the end of his wand, she'd been but a mere child- despite what they may have believed at the time. The Department of Mysteries flashed through her mind as he caught sight of her, a predatory grin slipping over his expression.

Hermione's heart dropped.

She remembered back in her seventh year, Tonks had pulled her aside before Bill and Fleur's wedding. She'd warned her of the Death Eater's strange obsession with Hermione, telling her to steer clear of him if she had the option.

Dolohov prowled over to her, easily creating a path through the dueling witches and wizards. She couldn't tell what about her drew him to her every time, even though he'd never seen her before in this time.

His attack was blunt and powerful, not bothering with the niceties of dueling etiquette and fancy wand flourishes. Hermione held him off admirably considering she'd just handled large amounts of Fiendfyre. It was particularly easy at first because she'd anticipated the spells he'd cast- the typical crucio or stupefy- which made it easier for her to block. It was when he'd began shooting ambiguous curses her way that her shields began to weaken.

She could feel perspiration trailing down her neck as she struggled to keep her shields against his steadily oncoming attack.

"Snape," she bit out, a tinge of panic to her voice.

"What?" He grunted, busy holding off his own attackers.

"I-"

Hermione could see the next moment stretched into a million. Her shield had already thinned, and she knew she needed a reprieve soon. But before she could voice that to her partner, an inky purple light burst out of Dolohov's wand. She could see the spell shooting towards her through her shield, and could do nothing as the curse broke through her long sustained armor, hitting her squarely in the chest.

Hermione gasped, falling backwards from the force of the impact. Her flailing arms caught Severus's cloak on her way down, and he looked down at her in surprised alarm.

"Shit," he muttered. "LUPIN!"

"What?" Remus asked, glancing back. "Oh bloody hell, Hermione!"

Her breaths were shallow and wheezy, her vision rapidly blurring. A dark red bloomed across her blouse where the curse had hit, this time around hitting her with its full potential.

Severus managed to overtake the last of his attackers, taking a moment to study Hermione.

"Pur... purple curse," she wheezed out.

Severus's eyes widened in shock.

If this was the spell he thought it was, she should already be dead. Her organs would've been liquefied in minutes.

 _Wait._

Severus's eyes swept across the battlefield, his eyes landing on a distracted Potter who was struggling to hold off two Death Eaters while glancing back to his partner in concern. Sirius had collapsed.

 _Of course._

"Lupin," he commanded. "Take her back to headquarters immediately. Take her straight to Andromeda and Narcissa- they'll know what to do."

"What about you?" Remus asked.

"NOW LUPIN!" Snape roared. "She doesn't have much time!"

Remus paled, disapparating away with Hermione within the next moment.

For a moment Snape debated what to do. He could choose to not act, and Hermione would still likely live with the healing advantages she had from the bond she shared with Black. Merlin knows Black had done plenty to him to make him choose not to help him in this crucial moment. But as he surveyed the battlefield of impassioned Order members fighting side by side, he thought back to Lily and her excitement that they were finally on the same side. He couldn't disappoint her. Not again.

 **~o~O~o~**

It was all going well until all of a sudden, it wasn't. James and Sirius hadn't had the chance to duel side by side since he'd been shuffled into hiding. They'd found their flow together seamlessly. They were fighting McNair and Goyle, and they were winning.

Until Sirius dropped to the ground.

Sirius felt an overwhelming pain hit him like the Hogwarts Express, and he dropped to the ground like a brick. He couldn't breathe- he could scarcely see past the pain. James looked back at his seizing friend in alarm, struggling to keep up sufficient shields for both of them.

"Sirius!" _What the bloody hell? He hadn't been hit by anything, he was sure!_

Out of nowhere, a second wand joined their fight as the last person he'd expected emerged. Severus Snape stood alongside James Potter, helping him stun his two opponents.

"What the hell?"

"He's going to die," Snape said urgently, referring to Sirius.

"What the bloody hell happened? I didn't even see a spell hit him!" James panicked.

"Long story, Potter. He doesn't have much time." Snape grunted, hoisting Sirius to his feet. "Are you going to help or not?"

James grabbed Sirius's other arm, lifting it around his shoulder. He was barely conscious by now. Snape immediately apparated them back to an unfamiliar house.

"Where are we?" James asked suspiciously. "This isn't headquarters."

"I know. Wait here- I can't do this alone. I need help."

"Snape-" James began to argue, but Severus had already apparated away.

He landed back at headquarters not a moment later, which was buzzing with all the returning Order members. He spotted the person he was looking for, huddled around Narcissa and Andromeda working diligently over Hermione.

In the midst of the chaos, he was easily able to walk over, closing his hand over her wrist before pulling her away from the crowd.

"Severus?" Mary asked in confusion, pulling against his hold.

But instead of answering, he pulled her to the abandoned hallway before apparating them back to Spinner's End.

James watched in confusion as Snape returned with one of the other Order members he'd seen occasionally. _Mary, was it?_

Mary looked at Sirius in surprise, who was suffering from the exact same- if not more extreme- symptoms Hermione had displayed.

"What in the world?" She exclaimed.

"Dolohov cursed them," Snape said briefly, jerking off his cloak and hauling a potions chest out of a nearby trunk. "It's disintegrating their organs from the inside out."

"Dolohov cursed them both?" She asked dubiously. "With the same curse?"

"We weren't anywhere near Dolohov." James said in confusion. "And who's the other person?"

"Long story." Snape bit out, jerking out potions he'd hoped would be helpful. "I need you to administer these potions and keep healing the internal damage as I try to siphon the curse out. One won't work without the other- we need to move fast or he'll be dead within minutes."

James froze, looking to his best mate in horror. "What can I do?"

"Stay out of the way," Snape said callously, trying to focus. "Go back to headquarters, the others have returned."

"No way-"

"Potter now is not the time for your immature stubbornness!" Snape snapped. "The others can't know what's wrong with Black because he asked to keep it a secret. If you don't go back and confirm you're alive, they'll send search parties out. So go back, hold them at bay. We'll take care of this."

James hesitated, his gaze flying from the impatient wizard to his best friend. He had no reason to trust him to Snape- they hated each other. Yet a part of him knew he was right, and for whatever reason, Snape seemed to know more about the situation than he did at the moment.

"Go," Mary said softly. "We'll take care of him."

James felt slightly more reassured knowing Mary was with them. She seemed like a reliable Order member. Surely she wouldn't allow Snape to something stupid like murder Sirius in cold blood? With a brief nod, James apparated away.

"Focus, MacDonald," Snape commanded authoritatively.

"Right," she murmured.

They worked over Sirius together. The expanse of his chest was ingrained with a fresh, jagged purple bruise, which was bleeding around the edges. His breathing was weak, as was his pulse. They worked for over an hour, Snape slowly but steadily siphoning the dark magic out of the wound. Mary worked to heal the extensive damage, shoving potion after potion down Sirius's throat. What baffled her was how extreme the curse exhibited itself in Sirius. Hermione was supposedly hit by the same curse, but she was still conscious as Narcissa and Andromeda treated her. They'd taken one look at the raw purple wound on her chest and immediately known what to do. Yet while they were able to stabilize Hermione easily enough, Sirius only seemed to get worse and worse.

"Why isn't he healing?" Mary asked in concern.

"The dark magic was all funneled to his body," Snape murmured. "Until I get the last of it out, his wounds will keep reappearing until the curse accomplishes its objective."

Mary paled, quieting immediately so Severus could focus. But she didn't miss the curious phrasing he used. _The magic was funneled to his body? From what? Hermione? How? Why?_

 **~o~O~o~**

James arrived back at headquarters with questions still swarming his mind. He wasn't prepared when his wife flew into his arms.

"James! I was so worried!" She pulled back, looking over him for injuries.

"I'm fine," he assured.

"Hermione was hit," Lily gulped with tears in her eyes. "I don't know with what, but Narcissa and Andromeda seemed to know. They didn't have high hopes."

She took him by the arm, pulling him over to where Remus waited with Hermione. James followed intently, his mind putting the pieces together from the mumblings he'd gathered from Snape.

Hermione had the same jagged mark across her chest as Sirius did. Though while Sirius's kept darkening and pulsing with blood, Hermione's seemed to be slowly but steadily fading. Apparently Dolohov had cursed her, but he'd been nowhere near Sirius and James.

"Impossible," Andromeda whispered as she watched the dark black veins twisting along the purple bruise fade. "I haven't even tried to siphon it yet," she muttered to herself.

"The healing is working," Narcissa said happily.

While everyone let go of a deep breath, thanking Merlin for the miracle, Andromeda's expression scrunched in confusion. Merlin had nothing to do with it- this sort of dark magic didn't simply heal or disappear.

Hermione herself, barely on the brink of consciousness, shared the same confusion. She'd barely lived the last time she'd been on the receiving end of this curse- and only because she'd been fortunate enough to mute the effects by silencing Dolohov. She shouldn't even be alive, much less healing so quickly. But the edges of her consciousness darkened as the pull of sleep dragged her under.

"Where's Sirius?" Lily asked James, finally noticing who they were missing.

Andromeda caught the exchange, looking up at James questioningly. He didn't have answers for either of them, but he knew they'd never accept that.

"James?" Lily asked again, the concern in her voice growing again.

Andromeda excused herself, allowing Narcissa and Madam Pomfrey to take over the actual healing process for Hermione. She made her way over to the Potters, looking at James expectantly.

"Where is my cousin, Mr. Potter?"

James looked back and forth between the two witches watching him expectantly. "He's with Snape," he admitted, running his hand through his hair tiredly. "And Mary."

"Why?" Lily asked in confusion. "Why not bring him here? Is he hurt?"

James hesitated, not knowing how much to say nor the truth of the reality. But Andromeda's eyes widened in suspicion.

"Take me to my cousin, Mr. Potter." She said in a stern voice.

Lily glanced at Andromeda, surprised by the tension in the witch's voice. "James?" She was so confused.

James sighed, holding out both hands to either witch. "It's a long story," he shrugged, citing Snape. "I'd like to know the truth as well."

He disapparated away with them, knowing Snape wouldn't appreciate the intrusion on his private space. In the middle of the post-battle chaos, no one even noticed they'd left. Those who did had already seem them and assumed they went home.

 **~o~O~o~**

 **Hi lovelies!**

 **I know, this was a fast update. I've had a burst of inspiration this past month. I promise I publish as soon as I have the chapters finished. So if it's ready, I won't hold out on you for no reason :)**

 **If you like Marauders Era stories, please please please go check out my other story "Hiraeth" which is a James Potter romance. It's my current passion project, and I must say I'm quite proud of it.**

 **~ silverstorme**


	27. Suspicious Excuses

**27 | SUSPICIOUS EXCUSES**

"Bloody fucking hell," Andromeda burst out in a moment of uncharacteristic discomposure.

Severus and Mary looked up from Sirius's still body in surprise. They'd hardly noticed when the trio apparated in.

"I thought I told you to stay out of the way, Potter," Snape snarled impatiently.

"You try telling that to _them_ ," James rolled his eyes, gesturing to the inpatient women.

"Get on with it, Snape. I can help you siphon the curse," Meda instructed tersely, immediately knowing what her cousin suffered from.

"Lily, could you help me?" Mary called out. "The injuries keep reappearing faster than I can heal them."

"Of course," Lily stuttered, quickly dropping to her knees next to Mary.

James watched in numb shock as the four diligently worked over his best mate's body. It was nearly an hour of grueling, silent work. As the time passed, the wisps of black magic drifting up from Sirius's chest became thinner and thinner until Snape and Meda finally paused in their relentless work.

"Is he okay?" James asked hoarsely.

"I don't know," Snape responded after an uncertain bout of silence from both of them. "If he wakes up, he'll be through the worst of it."

" _If_?" Lily cried in distress.

Severus's eyes softened on his old friend, nodding shortly. "It took us longer than it should've to siphon the curse. We don't know if his body will hold up against all that damage."

"What do we do?" James asked.

"We wait." Snape shrugged.

"What I want to know," Andromeda began silently, turning a piercing gaze to Snape. "Is how my cousin seemingly absorbed the curse that hit Miss Dumbledore."

"What?" Lily blanched.

"Hermione was hit with the same curse as this one," Meda told her. "Yet she was healed easily by Narcissa even before I began to siphon the curse. That's _not possible._ "

"You'd said they were cursed by Dolohov," Mary's eyes widened. "But James said Sirius was nowhere near Dolohov."

James turned an irate gaze to the stoic wizard. "What the bloody hell is happening, Snape?"

He merely scoffed under the scrutiny. "Perhaps you should ask your fool of a friend," he sneered at their ungrateful tone. "If he wakes."

"Severus..." Lily warned softly.

Snape sighed, closing his eyes in frustration. "Fine," he bit out. "I certainly have no obligations to keep his damn secrets."

The others looked at him expectantly. Sirius had kept something from all of them? Something that Severus Snape, of all people, had been privy to?

"The night we went to Pettigrew's hideout, Hermione was hit one of Bellatrix's curses," Snape recalled unemotionally. "It was draining her magical core- she was fading fast. We were going to bring her back to Dumbledore until we realized she didn't even have that much time left. Black made me facilitate one of the old bonding rites so it would counter the curse."

The entire room seemed to freeze.

Meda looked to her cousin in pitying concern. "You fool," she whispered sadly.

"I don't understand," Lily asked confused. "What bonding rites?"

"They've been outlawed for at least a century," James spoke in surprise. "It's blood magic."

"Dark magic?" Lily swung an accusing gaze to Snape.

"I told him that," Severus shrugged. "He said it was more grey than dark, and insisted it was the only way to save her life. Which it probably was," he added quietly.

"What does it do?" Lily asked again impatiently.

"It gave her a piece of his soul and magical core," Snape said frankly. "It fundamentally changed her magical signature so Bellatrix's curse could no longer recognize it as it's intended target, and eventually stopped feeding on her and lost its hold."

"But it also permanently tied Sirius to Hermione," James whispered in realization.

"Is that why Sirius felt the same curse Dolohov hit Hermione with? But why was it so much worse for him if it hit her directly?" Lily asked curiously.

"Because, Ms. Potter," Andromeda said sadly. "It was a one-sided bond. My cousin bonded himself to her, making him the giver. Because she hasn't returned the bond, there will always be a power imbalance between the two."

"Hermione doesn't know, does she?" Mary asked Severus knowingly.

Severus shrugged. "He told me not to tell her, and I have no reason to get involved."

"This bond is inhumane!" Meda fumed.

"He said it was his choice," Snape told her. "I told him to tell her, _he refused._ "

"Well, you should've-"

"ENOUGH," James called over them. "Fighting is not going to change anything right now. We all need rest, Sirius more than any of us."

"Yes, you can take him away now," Snape dismissed.

"We can't take him," Lily said slowly. "Hermione stays with us at the Manor," she whispered. "She'd find out if we took him."

"She should know anyway," Meda said stubbornly.

"I agree," Lily said impassioned. "But I also think Sirius needs to be the one to tell her himself. In his own time."

"Well he can't stay here," Snape told them unsympathetically.

"Very well," Andromeda accepted wearily. "He can stay with me. Narcissa and I know how to treat the curse anyway, he'll be better off recovering with us."

With a parting nod to the others, the witch apparated away with the still unconscious form of her youngest cousin.

James sighed tiredly. "We should head off too. We need to get Hermione back home."

Lily walked over to Severus, engulfing him in an unexpected hug. "Thank you," she said gratefully as she pulled back.

James struggled in place for a moment before he walked over to them, sticking his hand out diplomatically. "Yeah, thanks Snape. I know you didn't have to help him, but you did. I won't forget that."

Snape eyed James's outstretched hand uncertainly before choosing to ignore it. "No need for that, Potter," he waved off. "I did what I was obligated to. This doesn't make us friends," he sneered.

James pulled back his hand with a grim purse of his lips. "Still." He insisted. "I won't forget it."

"Goodnight," Lily told him softly before the pair apparated away

Snape groaned wearily, plopping down into a nearby chair. Tonight was more socialization than he'd ever preferred. How the bloody hell did he get himself into this shite? He'd expected to join the Order, and other than joining a mission every now and then, keep to his relatively quiet lifestyle.

The sound of light tinkering forced his heavy lids open. The sight of Mary MacDonald levitating away the empty potions bottles littered all over the floor threw him for a pause.

"What are you still doing here?" He asked rudely.

"Cleaning. _Obviously._ " Her dry response told him she hadn't taken offense. A rarity considering even the most neutral statements from him could outrage the most level-headed of people.

"No need," he dismissed her. "Just leave it, I'll take care of it later."

"It's alright," she said simply. "That siphoning process looked rather draining, this is the least I could do."

Severus watched her warily, his eyes following her every move like a hawk.

"You can stop staring at me," she said in amusement, not bothering to turn to him as she continued about her business. "I'm not about to steal or poison anything."

"I hadn't said you would." He said dryly.

Once she'd finally cleaned and packed away the last of the vials, she finally turned to study him, leaning back against the mantel of the fireplace.

"That must not have been easy for you," she said quietly.

"The magic isn't that difficult," Snape scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Not the magic," she shook her head. "Saving Sirius Black."

"I don't know what you mean," Severus said coldly, all semblance of entertaining a conversation cut off abruptly.

"I was there in school right alongside the rest of you," Mary insisted. "Don't think I didn't see them ganging up on you back then."

"I gave as good as I got," he bit out, eyes flaring in annoyance now.

"You're not the man I expected, Severus Snape," Mary murmured curiously.

Snape stiffened in his seat. "Don't delude yourself into thinking I did this out of the goodness of my heart- I have no such thing. I had purely selfish reasons for saving Black's sorry arse."

He'd expected her to snap out of her sympathy, but she surprised him yet again as a small smile graced her lips. "Perhaps," she acknowledged. "But no one else knew about this bond but you. If Sirius died, no one would've known the reason."

Snape remained silent, raising an eyebrow as if to say, 'your point?'

"You, Severus Snape, are not as bad as you believe. Goodness isn't inherent, you know. It's learned. We make a choice every single day. Maybe you did it for selfish reasons today, but you still saved him- someone who'd been your enemy for years. Maybe in the future you'd do it regardless of the personal benefit."

When Severus remained quiet, Mary pushed off the wall.

"Truly... thank you." She told him with a soft, knowing smile before disapparating away to leave him in peace.

But even after she'd left, his solace was long destroyed. Her words kept ringing in his head, haunting him. _Goodness isn't inherent- we make that choice every day._

 **~o~O~o~**

Sometime that very night, Sirius jerked awake, covered in a sheen of cold sweat. The sun was barely rising over the horizon but the panic and danger of the day before came back to him with a snap along with his consciousness.

"Wha- whe-"

"Relax cousin," Andromeda soothed, coming to sit at the edge of his bed. She stilled him with a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You're fine, you're in my cottage. The raid is over."

"H- Hermione-" Sirius sputtered. "Something's wrong."

Andromeda's eyes softened on him with sympathy. "She's fine, Sirius," she promised. "All thanks to you. You were in far more danger than she ever was."

"She's okay?" He looked at her with uncertainty and bone-weary exhaustion.

"She's with the Potters, and recovering steadily. I wager she'll be back to normal before you're even okay to leave the bed," Andromeda said jokingly.

"Good, as long as she's safe," Sirius muttered, falling back on his pillows with a groan.

His pale complexion and clammy skin made Andromeda nervous, but he'd woken up at the very least.

 **~o~O~o~**

Hermione didn't know when exactly she woke next- she didn't even know if she woke. Her eyes fluttered open openly to scrunch back up from the blinding light in the room. She could briefly make out white curtains dancing from a delicate breeze.

"Maybe I died," she groaned to herself.

"You didn't die, 'Mione," someone said in relieved amusement.

Hermione forced her eyes open to see the image of her best friend sitting by her bed. _Father of your best friend_ , she reminded herself sternly. Though it was certainly hard to remember at times.

"James," she tried to say, but it came out more like a croak.

"Take it easy," he warned her, immediately coming to her aid as she tried to sit up.

"What... What happened?" She asked cautiously. She could remember flashes of memories- Dolohov, the curse, people buzzing above her, and then absolute darkness.

"Dolohov hit you with a curse," James confirmed. "Luckily Narcissa and Meda knew how to treat it."

Hermione watched him blankly for a moment, and James almost began to squirm under her watchful gaze. She'd been on the receiving end of that curse before, and she had a hard time believing that she could survive it at full strength when she'd almost died years earlier from a muted version of it.

"Where's Remus?" Hermione asked instead, her mind flashing to the partners who were depending on her for the mission.

The object of her thoughts poked his head through the door sheepishly. "Someone call for me?"

"Oh thank Godric," Hermione sighed, deflating. "Wait- Snape?"

"Bastard's fine," James grumbled. "Though he all but threw us out of his house, bitter git."

"You were at his house?" Hermione asked in confusion. "Why?"

"Oh, um," James stuttered uncertainly. "He had healing potions. For you. Lily and I went to pick them up."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him shrewdly. Severus Snape would never willingly invite James Potter into his home. He would've simply brought them the potions himself. Before Hermione could ask, Lily swept into the room with a tray stacked with porridge and tea.

"Thank goodness you're finally awake," Lily told her. "We've all been so worried."

"How long was I unconscious?" Hermione asked fearfully.

"Oh only about a day," James assured her. "The battle was last night, and it's almost sunset right now."

"Still," Remus reminded her, coming to stand at the foot of her bed. "You took a nasty hit, Hermione. You were fading away in my arms as I was trying to get you back to headquarters."

"I'm fine," she promised, finding that she truly meant it. She felt like she'd woken from a deep sleep, feeling none of the lingering pain and soreness she should've felt. "Mrs. Malfoy and Meda must've worked a miracle on me."

Looking at the bunch gathered around her bed, she couldn't help but notice the one person missing.

"Where's Sirius?"

The trio froze, glancing at each other stiffly.

"He's at home," James said briefly.

Hermione raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Why-" She broke off hesitantly. _Why wasn't he here? Why didn't he care she almost died?_ Both questions were too selfish.

"Is he okay?" She asked instead.

"He actually got roughed up a bit," Lily admitted slowly. "He's just sleeping it off."

"What-" Hermione blanched. "I should check on him," she mumbled, trying to climb out of bed.

"NO-" James burst out.

Everyone froze, including Hermione. She looked at him like he'd gone mad. "Why not?"

"He means, you've had rough healing process," Lily said placatingly. "You should rest for now. Remus can take you to him later this week."

"I feel fine," Hermione insisted. "Spectacular actually."

"Meda's dropping by to take care of Sirius," James told her. "She specifically told us she didn't want us crowding him until he was on his feet."

"Oh," Hermione deflated in disappointment. _Just how badly had he been injured if he wasn't even allowed visitors?_

"We'll let you wash up," Lily told her. "We'll be downstairs if you feel ready to come down."

Before Hermione could get a word in edgewise, the three of them scurried out of the room sharing warning glances with each other.

She shook off the strange sensation. _It was probably nothing._

Her fingers froze halfways down unbuttoning her shirt. She stared at the perfectly healed skin staring back at her through the mirror. There was no trace of her injuries. She knew better to believe that. Magic always left a trace- especially dark magic. And as much as she liked the Black sisters, she really doubted they knew more about healing the curse now than the more worldly Severus Snape had in the future.

"What happened?" She demanded as she stormed into the kitchen.

The quiet whispers of the others came to an abrupt halt as they looked up at her. James glanced at Remus, who looked to Lily.

"What do you mean?" Lily tried to say lightly.

"Don't try to play me for a fool," Hermione exhaled deeply. "I know the curse Dolohov used on me. There's no way I woke up a day later perfectly fine."

"Hermione, Andromeda said herself-" James tried to placate her.

"I've been hit by this curse before, James Potter, so don't you dare try to tell me this is normal," she fumed.

James sighed. "Maybe you should talk to Snape and Andromeda," he told her. "They're the ones who healed you anyway."

Lily threw James a warning glance. But Hermione narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "I thought you said Andromeda and Narcissa healed me?"

"Her too," Lily corrected quickly.

"I don't understand what you aren't telling me, why-"

Before Hermione could continue her frustrated rant, she doubled over from a sudden wave of pain. Deep-seated, throbbing pain.

"Hermione!" Remus exclaimed, immediately catching her by the arm. Are you okay?

Taking a moment to collect her breath, she cautiously stood back up. "Fine," she breathed. The pain was still there but it felt slightly disconnected. She could feel it, but it wasn't quite hers. If she forced herself to focus on her body in this immediate moment, she could easily distinguish that she was perfectly fine. Yet when she relaxed her walls, that humming pain surrounded the edges of her consciousness like a heavy blanket.

"Sirius," she exclaimed suddenly.

"What?" The others asked dumbly.

She felt the acute need to check in on him. The only times she'd felt sensations externally like this were when she'd felt like she was picking up on Sirius's emotions- an unsolved mystery in itself.

"Remus, I want you to take me to Sirius," Hermione demanded.

"'Mione, he's resting-" James tried to tell her.

"Now."

They sighed, sharing a glance once more. James nodded briefly and Remus sighed.

"Very well," he offered her his arm, which she took without hesitation.

Hermione didn't say anything when Remus brought them to Andromeda's cabin. They'd told her he was recovering at him, but clearly they were hiding more than just that. Andromeda looked surprised to see them, throwing Remus a questioning glance, yet she didn't protest when Hermione insisted on seeing Sirius. Meda led her up the stairs, and the more Hermione focused in on Sirius, the more she could feel the pain.

He was awake.

His eyes flew to the door when Meda knocked, letting Hermione and Remus in before leaving them to their privacy.

"Why'd you bring her here?" He asked Remus in a strained voice.

Hermione felt a slight pang go through her. _Did he not want her here?_

"What happened to you?" She choked out in a broken voice. He was pale, looking practically on the brink of death.

"I'm okay," he promised her, his eyes softening. "I just didn't want you to see me like this."

Hermione snorted lightly. "I saw you when you were on the run after twelve years in Azkaban. Believe me, I doubt it could get worse. Though this certainly cuts it close."

"I'll be okay," he said firmly. "Meda won't have it any other way," he tried to joke, wincing before he could even get out a full chuckle.

"What happened?" She asked again.

"Oh you know," he said vaguely. "A few stray crucious, nothing I won't recover from."

Before she could argue that she knew what the Cruciatus curse did, and it certainly wasn't this, Andromeda swooped in to save her cousin. She walked into the room with a tray full of potions, heading over to Sirius.

"Miss Dumbledore, I'm sure Sirius appreciates you visiting, but he really needs his rest. I'm sure you understand?" She said in a tone that didn't leave any space for argument.

Hermione sighed, and Remus tugged on her arm.

"Of course," she mumbled.

"I'll see you soon," he promised, secretly relieved his at his cousin's timing.

Hermione nodded glumly, turning to leave. But not before she caught sight of the potions Andromeda was preparing for Sirius. Having gone through months of recovery from Dolohov's curse herself, she would never forget the distinct sight and pungent smell of the potions she'd been forced to drink every few hours for weeks.

He was being treated for the same curse she'd been hit with.

Yet here she was, perfectly fine within a day whereas he was bedridden and appeared as sickly as she'd been back in her fifth year.

Something was definitely afoot.

And they were fools if they didn't think Hermione would figure it out.

 **~o~O~o~**

 **Hello everyone!**

 **The end is in sight- I suspect there will only be 5-10 more chapters, the plot for which has already been determined. Granted, they'll likely be incredibly long and dense chapters as there's a lot of loose ends to tie up.**

 **Thank you to all my readers and reviewers :) You guys are the wittiest fandom I know, it's great. I hope you've liked the journey this story has been so far- I know it's been a lot.**

 **Wh** **at do you guys think of the new cover? It took a while to make it because I was never completely s** **atisfied with my p** **ast covers for this story** **, but I think this one's a keeper.**

 **~ _silverstorme_**


	28. Truth Will Out

**28 | TRUTH WILL OUT**

The next few weeks passed torturously. The marauders admirably distracted her when she tried to ask about Sirius. He'd stopped by Potter's home a little about a week after the raid. He'd claimed he was completely healed and back on Order assignments as an Auror, but Hermione easily picked up the slight wince when he moved too fast, or the flask of the potion he would sip from every hour. He was putting on a rather brave face- she thought it was a miracle he was on his feet and looked relatively normal within a week. She wouldn't have even noticed the slight signs that something was wrong had she not been looking very closely.

Despite her suspicions, she tactfully chose to stay silent. She still hadn't told anyone about being able to pick up on Sirius' emotions. Now more than ever, the marauders had all gone tight-lipped- even Lily, her one true ally. She'd drop seemingly inconsequential comments about Sirius and they'd all hastily brush it under the rug before diverting her to another topic. For Lily and James, it usually meant plying her for stories about Harry from her time. Remus usually liked asking about his time as a professor, and she took note of the wistful longing in his eyes whenever she indulged him. These days he was doing full-time surveillance for the Order and running missions and diplomacy with anyone _but_ the werewolves. Yet in a world after the war, Hermione knew he would love to become a Professor. She'd have to speak to Dumbledore about it.

In her own time, she went through the entirety of the Potters' library, trying to research anything that might've caused this- their shared emotions and potentially a shared curse. From her experience, no one really used the curse she'd been hit with but Dolohov. But from everyone's accounts of that night, Dolohov had been nowhere near Sirius and James.

She'd gone through every plausible scenario in her mind including life debts, curses, and soul bonds. The one even remotely likely of the bunch was a soul bond, but she already knew that wasn't it. Soul bonds were incredibly rare and pure magic- she certainly would've felt one. In fact, if they were soul bonded, she and Sirius shouldn't have been able to stand to be apart for so long.

The next time she saw them all was another routine Order meeting over dinner. Sirius had apparently been on various missions on Moody's orders for the last two weeks, so she hadn't seen him at all. Remus had and would pass along messages every few days. She could tell being out of the action was making James restless, though Lily certainly kept him busy with planning for the new baby.

She was standing with Lily and Marlene as the two talked about how Marlene's family was faring. Normally Hermione would be very interested considering she'd been staying with Gideon, who apparently had had his eye on the witch. But her gaze was following Sirius covertly all night. He seemed fully healed now, but she doubted he'd been on Order missions since the raid if he was recovering from the curse she suspected.

Her thoughts were confirmed by a brief conversation with the Prewetts.

"Black? No, haven't seen him with Moody lately," Fabian said carefully as he munched on some chips. "Lupin's been doing reconnaissance for us every now and then, but I think Black's been on medical leave since the raid on Nott Estate."

"Yeah," Gideon jumped in. "He's scheduled to return in three days."

The ease with which the Prewetts offered her information also told her they didn't know anything beyond that, nor did they suspect anything astray.

To Hermione's surprise, Sirius walked over to Snape and Mary, who were conversing quietly near one of the windows. She saw him tug out the flask she'd seen him sipping his potions from, discreetly handing it back to the wizard with a nod of acknowledgment.

Severus merely took it before vanishing it to Merlin knew where from the palm of his hand. When Sirius walked away, she knew _exactly_ what she had to do.

James and Remus would never tell her the truth of what was going on- not if Sirius asked them not to. Normally she would just work it out of Lily, but it seemed even she was sided with Sirius for this one. Severus Snape would be the last person she'd suspect of being involved in the marauders' business. Yet he knew something.

 **~o~O~o~**

Sirius forced himself to swallow his pride as he walked up to his childhood nemeses. He pulled out the flask he'd been given from inside his coat, gruffly clearing his throat as he held it out to Snape.

"Snape," he nodded in greeting. "I was told you supplied all my potions."

Snape snatched it out of his outstretched hand, immediately vanishing it. "Don't mention it," he said in a monotone. " _Ever._ "

Mary rolled her eyes. "Don't mind him- he's just being surly. Glad to see you've recovered well, Sirius."

"Ah Mary," Sirius exclaimed, immediately turning on his charming grin. "Of course I have you to thank for my speedy recovery." He caught ahold of her hand, bending over it as he pressed his lips to her knuckles. "I'll never forget it."

Mary laughed as Sirius made a show of the gesture. He always had been one for dramatics. Snape stared daggers at him as his lips brushed against the back of Mary's hand. His temper spiked even more when Mary released a soft, melodic laugh. He hadn't thought she'd be foolish enough to fall for the charms of Sirius Black. He was bonded to another witch for life! He had no business going around kissing other witch's hands!

By the time Sirius walked away, Severus had already had his fill of socializing. Unfortunately, Order business was always conducted _after_ a hearty, sociable meal, which was yet to be served.

He almost rolled his eyes when he caught sight of Hermione approaching them soon after.

 _Oh this ought to be good._

"Severus," she smiled in a deceptively sweet manner.

"Dumbledore," he greeted without hesitation, not wanting to give away her cover in front of Mary but also refusing to address Hermione by her given name.

"I think we need to talk," she looked at him meaningfully.

"What in the world could we have to discuss?" He drawled in disinterest.

"Sirius," Hermione said bluntly. "You know something."

Mary watched them both silently, forcing herself to keep relaxed and neutral.

"You still haven't asked me anything," Snape pointed out dryly.

Hermione squinted at him in annoyance. "I'm starting to get more and more annoyed every day this continues. Now I _know_ a handful of you already know whatever the hell is going on. And you're going to tell me."

"Why should I?" He sneered.

"Huh," Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Didn't know you and Sirius had gotten close enough for you to keep his secrets."

Snape frowned in distaste. "That mutt and I have nothing between us."

Hermione raised an eyebrow expectantly.

If Severus thought about it, he really had no reason to keep this secret for him. Lily said she wanted to wait until he told her himself, but Severus knew the coward would never do it. He'd said as much himself.

"Very well," he muttered. "You're bonded."

Hermione looked at him blankly. "I beg your pardon?" She sputtered.

"I thought you were brighter than this," he rolled his eyes. "Do keep up, you've been _bonded_."

"That's not possible," Hermione shook her head in denial. "I've read about soul bonds. I certainly would've felt it if one formed between us. Besides, it not even the same conditions! I can- I can feel his emotions, at least the strong ones."

"That's because it's not a soul bond."

"What other bond is there?" Hermione pressed. "I've torn the Potter library apart and that's the only bond I found mention of."

Severus grimaced. He could only hope she didn't start yelling as soon as he told her.

"I don't expect the Potter library would have books on this kind of magic," he hedged. "Though the Black library might."

Hermione stared blankly before her nostrils flared in realization.

"Dark magic?" She hissed.

"It's technically blood magic," Snape justified. "Which the Potters haven't used for generations other than to reinforce their wards."

"What kind of blood magic?" Hermione bit out, all her patience gone.

"He used the Coniunctus Ritual."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. _Why did that sound so familiar?_ Her eyes widened suddenly. She remembered where she'd seen in before. It was in the books she summoned from Dumbledore's office. The ones too foul to even be kept in the restricted section at Hogwarts. The book about Horcruxes.

She paled.

"I need to go," she breathed. "I have to research," she mumbled, walking away from them absentmindedly without even bothering with goodbyes.

"Did you really just do that?" Mary asked quietly.

Severus glanced at her. Though her face was passive, he could detect her disappointment.

"I have no loyalty to Black," he shrugged nonchalantly.

Mary stared in disbelief for a moment. "I suppose that's true," she said, surprising him with her agreement. "After all, it's no worse than some of the things they did to you, right?" She goaded him.

Snape narrowed his eyes on her in a manner that would've had most people stammering.

"I didn't see _you_ defending anyone against them back then. Particularly not me, so don't even start down that road," he warned in a velvety voice.

Mary scoffed in his face in a rare moment of complete rudeness. "You've got to be shitting me right now."

Snape raised his eyebrows, surprised by the venom in her voice.

"Me defend you? Perhaps it's not _my_ memory that's faulty Severus. I seem to remember a certain seventh year brutally attacking me in my sixth year. What was his name? Oh right- Mulciber. What was it that you called the attack when rumors spread? Oh yeah," she frowned coldly. "A laugh."

Severus froze. He could vaguely remember that. Mulciber had been terrorizing students all year, using his rank as an upperclassman to target muggleborns and half-bloods. But the one incident he'd been expelled for had been Mary McDonald. If he remembered correctly, he'd cornered her by the lake and practiced the Cruciatus on her in between bouts of submerging her in the lake. She'd been asleep for almost 2 weeks after that incident.

The only reason Mulciber had been expelled was because Mary woke up, then testifying that he'd not only drowned her but also used an unforgivable on her. That was also the time Severus had been courting his favor with the Death Eaters. So when Mulciber started whining about his expulsion, Snape had merely joked that at least he got a good laugh out of it.

Mary laughed bitterly, the usual sweet, dulcet sound completely void of joy and amusement. "Of course you don't remember, who ever remembers little Mary McDonald?"

"You know what?" She stepped up to him, not backing down from his obsidian eyes. "You may not think anyone deserves your loyalty. But when you're loyal to no one, at the end of the day you just end up alone."

 **~o~O~o~**

 **Published a new collection of Hermione based one-shots & drabbles called "Yours Truly, Hermione"**

 **Please go check it out and feel free to request a story with a prompt in the reviews ^_^**


	29. The Blood Bond

***Btw . . . this chapter's rated M for sexual content 😉**

 **29 | THE BLOOD BOND**

Hermione apparated back to Potter Manor immediately, frantically digging through her little purple purse. It had taken her many weeks before she stopped feeling the need to carry it around with her at all times. But now, the small reticule felt like it weighed a ton, despite the charms on it. Her hands shook as she dug through long-buried books for the copy of the one she'd almost burned. Even with her reverence for the written word, there were certain evils not meant to exist in the world.

The heavy, black tome lay in her hands, taunting her with its centuries-old magic and power.

Why in the world were she and Sirius bonded from a ritual in this book? Had someone done it to them- as a punishment? In her haste to rediscover the ritual, she'd completely forgotten to ask Severus how they were bonded, to begin with.

She flipped through the book, her nimble fingers stuttering to a halt as she found it.

 _The Coniunctus Ritual._

 _If performed both ways, the Coniunctus Ritual is a sacred magical bond, irrevocably tying the magical cores of two very powerful wizards. Both must survive the test of the bond, for if one is too weak they both shall die. But in success, the pair shall be untouched for neither can die while the other lives._

 _They become each other's strength, and in tandem can cast magic to surpass even Merlin himself._

Hermione nearly dropped the book.

 _Neither can die while the other survives?_ That sounded like a human version of a Horcrux, she realized with bile rising to her throat.

She flipped through the pages rapidly, skimming over the words, each page making her less and less hopeful. The bond allowed the pair the pick up on each other's emotions, allowing them to communicate vaguely without the need for legilimency. That would explain why she could feel Sirius when his emotions were most rampant. Bonded pairs could draw strength from one another's cores in times of injury or strain, to the point where one could pull another back from the brink of death. She paled. So that's why she recovered so quickly from Dolohov's curse. Sirius.

But the hardest hit of all was when she got to the section about how to perform the bonding ritual. She only read two sentences in, realizing it was magic that could only be done by one of the pair.

The realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

Sirius had done this.

He'd bonded them.

With dark magic.

"Hermione!" A concerned voice called for her. "Hermione where are you?"

The voice was a mere buzz in Hermione's ear, and she was barely aware of Lily bursting into her room with James right on her heels.

"Hermione!" Lily exclaimed in relief. "We were so worried, you just disappeared without a trace!"

She looked up at the pair numbly, the book now abandoned on the floor as it slipped through her fingers.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked in concern.

"How could you keep this from me?" Hermione whispered, horrified.

"Keep what from you?" James raised an eyebrow.

Hermione's eyes narrowed in growing anger.

"The bond. Sirius," she bit out.

Both Lily and James stopped breathing, staring at her, the guilt in their eyes clear as day.

"We're sorry," Lily grimaced. "We only just found out after the Dolohov attack. We were waiting to let Sirius tell you himself."

"Waiting? How could you ever let this happen in this first place?" Hermione yelled, the panic inside her growing. The outburst gave the Potters a pause, and they shared a slightly confused glance. "I thought Sirius was better than this! How in the world could he do something like this?"

"Wait, Hermione..." James broke in hesitantly. "I'm not sure if you know what really happened. I understand you're angry you didn't know, but if you just let him explain-"

"EXPLAIN? There is not explaining this! There's never an excuse for dark magic!"

"Hermione," Lily pleaded.

"And to think! I was beginning to trust him again. No one in their RIGHT MIND would-"

"You were dying!" James exclaimed, halting Hermione's tirade in its tracks.

"What?" She asked quietly, her chest heaving from her rant.

"The mission you went on to apprehend Peter," Lily said softly. "Bellatrix hit you with some kind of curse that was draining your magical core. Severus and Sirius... they both knew they couldn't get you back to Dumbledore in time. And even then, they didn't know if there was anything he could do. So yes, Sirius bonded you. _To save your life_."

Hermione sighed, glancing back down at the book in a moment of contemplation.

"Even still," she whispered. "I would've never chosen this kind of magic. They should've let me die."

"Bite your tongue!" Lily exclaimed.

"Is it so bad to be bonded to Sirius?" James asked in disappointment, already knowing his best mate was half in love with the witch he'd tied his life to.

"It's not Sirius I'm opposed to," Hermione said frustrated. "But this bond- the Coniunctus Ritual- it's dark magic!"

"Technically it's blood magic," James offered sheepishly.

"It's the same thing!" Hermione fumed.

"But it isn't..." Lily said softly. "Magic is powerful, but it's dictated by intention. Dark magic is insidious... it's evil. But blood magic isn't necessarily dark. Sirius intended to protect you with that bond, not trap you."

"Then why is this ritual in the same book as Horcruxes?" Hermione gestured to the fallen tome defeatedly.

Lily picked up the book, flipping through the pages Hermione had left open as James read curiously over her shoulder.

"I don't understand," James shook his head. "Why are you so afraid?"

"Because! This magic cheats death! It's his obsession with immortality that made Voldemort the psychopath he is today!"

"Hermione, this is not the same thing as Horcruxes," Lily told her sternly.

"Isn't it?" Hermione pointed out. "A piece of your soul- your magical core- in another? Neither can die while the other survives?"

James sighed. "People with a soul bond share the same connection, and that's one of the purest forms of magic in existence. The magical mechanics may be a bit different, but ultimately it's the same."

"And the part about immortality?" Hermione pointed out.

"You're not immortal, Hermione," Lily assured her calmly. "Maybe this would protect you against premature deaths- like Dolohov's attack. But once you both age, you will _naturally_ die. Like everyone else."

"I don't understand." Hermione frowned. The bond didn't seem inherently evil. "Why is this in the same book as Horcruxes."

James flipped through the next few pages, grimly stopping on one section. "As Lily said, magic is all about intention. Anything can be corrupted. Even something meant to be a sacred bond."

"What does that mean?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"The Coniunctus Ritual was banned nearly a century ago for two reasons. One, it's incredibly rare to find a fully bonded pair. Like it says in the book, only an equally matched and substantially powerful pair can survive completing a bond. Most people who tried completing it died," James said grimly.

"And the other?" Hermione gulped.

"Around the turn of the century, the ritual was used for many pureblood marriage ceremonies. It's possible for it to only be performed by one person, but leaving it incomplete creates a power imbalance between the pair."

Hermione stared at James expectantly as he grappled with his next words.

"They were used to bind wives to their husbands in upper-class pureblood circles."

Both Lily and Hermione gasped.

"Bind how?" Lily demanded.

"As in all the benefits of the bond would be one-sided. The husband could detect the wife's emotions to better monitor and manipulate her. If the wizard was ever injured, he would essentially pull from his wife's energy to recover, leaving her to absorb the extent of his injuries. And since it was one-sided, she had no control over the process. If he were injured enough, he could self-heal through her to the point of killing her."

Hermione and Lily stared at James slack-jawed. As muggleborn witches, they'd never been exposed to such magic. It was never a part of the Hogwarts curriculum, and having been outlawed for so long, there was little circulating knowledge about it left.

"So Sirius did what exactly?" Hermione choked out.

"He bound himself to you." James shrugged. "How do you think you recovered so quickly from Dolohov's curse?"

"You mean I gave it to him?" Hermione could hardly breathe. "I made him suffer like that? I didn't even mean to!"

"It's alright," Lily soothed. "It wasn't in your control. It just happened because the bond is incomplete."

"So basically I have all the benefits while Sirius bears all the consequences?" Hermione asked incredulously. "Why would he do that? Did he not know about the spell?"

"He knew," James told her meaningfully. "He did it anyway. He couldn't handle the alternative. You were about to die."

Hermione chewed her lip. This was an awful lot to process.

"So we're bound for life?" She asked quietly.

"Hermione, he really has done a lot to give you your space," Lily winced. "Mostly at my insistence, probably. He's not trying to push this bond on you- it was why he demanded you never know."

"I have a right to know," Hermione argued hotly.

"You do," James agreed. "He just didn't want you to feel obligated to complete the bond.

"I just-" Hermione stepped back blindly, trying to find the door. "I just need a moment."

She was out the door before James and Lily could stop her.

 **~o~O~o~**

Lily found Hermione out by the orchards not twenty minutes later. They wished they could give her more time, but the meeting for the Order would be beginning soon. If they were lucky they might make it for the tail end of dinner.

"Hermione," Lily called out.

"Who else knows?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"Before the Dolohov attack, only Severus," Lily promised.

"Now?"

"Remus, Andromeda, and Mary."

Hermione sighed, looking out at the peaceful night.

"How did you know Lily? That James was the one that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with?"

"I'm not sure," Lily smiled nostalgically. "I suppose I realized I could no longer imagine my life without him in it. The very thought was heartbreaking."

"How am I supposed to talk to him about this?" She groaned. "We barely just started exploring whatever this is between us again. Now we have to complete this bond that makes us inseparable?"

"You don't _have_ to seal the bond," Lily pointed out. "You only just found out, you can take some time."

"Of course I have to seal it," Hermione insisted. "I can't leave him to absorb all my injuries. What if I'm about to die again? I won't do that to him."

"He won't have it," Lily told her knowingly.

"It's not his choice."

"Hermione..."

"Like it wasn't my choice?" Hermione pointed out in frustration.

"Sirius refused to tell you about the bond because he didn't want you completing it out of pity or obligation. He'll never allow it. Besides, it could kill you both if you're not able to withstand it."

"Merlin, this is a mess," she sighed, climbing to her feet.

But if there was one thing Hermione hated more than messy situations, it was putting it off until it became an even bigger mess.

 **~o~O~o~**

They returned just in time for the meeting. Remus and Sirius threw James concerned glances to which he shook his head reassuringly. The entire meeting passed by like blur, and Hermione could hardly remember any words of importance. The entire time, her eyes wandered to the wizard who'd thrown her for a loop at every turn.

Sirius seemed honed in on Dumbledore's words, oblivious to her steady gaze.

Tall, dark, and handsome had never really been her type. Ron was the opposite if anything. Yet, she couldn't deny there was something there. The promise of something _more._ Perhaps the challenge? Very few people pushed back against her. But in the short amount of time she'd been here, the cocky wizard with a flair for dramatics had certainly pawed his way into her heart- there was no denying that.

His eyes flickered to the rest of the room as if detecting the attention on him. He caught her eyes in surprise, quirking an eyebrow questioningly. Her lips tugged into a small smile as she shook her head. His eyes narrowed in doubt before he shot her a goofy wink, pulling an involuntary chuckle from her, which she quickly masked as a cough.

Lily glanced at her confused before her eyes caught Sirius across the room. She rolled her eyes in amusement.

When the meeting finally came to a close, Hermione's legs carried her across the room before she even knew what she was going to say.

"Hi," he smiled down at her serenely, drinking in the sight of her curls and flushed cheeks.

"I haven't seen you in weeks," she finally whispered.

Sirius brushed his hair back, the long locks immediately falling back around his face. "I know, I'm sorry. Unavoidable bit of luck."

Hermione stared at him uncertainly, a slew of thoughts on the tip of her tongue. Her first instinct had been to chew him out for bonding them together for essentially the rest of eternity. But seeing him gaze down at her, the warmth that filled her doused any anger she'd been holding on to.

"You alright, kitten?" He asked her curiously.

Hermione opened her mouth, only to close it again.

"Kneazle got your tongue?" He chuckled, as he teasingly tugged on one of her curls.

"Sirius, what are we?" She blurted out suddenly.

His eyebrows furrowed in surprise. "What do you mean, love?"

"What. Are. We?" Hermione repeated sternly.

Part of her knew she'd have to complete the bond- her conscience wouldn't allow Sirius to go bearing all the risk for saving her life. But standing before him now, she couldn't bear to tie them together for all of eternity only to have him realize she's not enough for a lifetime.

She thought they'd been getting closer. But she'd only been with them for a few months!

"I'd say you're my girlfriend," he smirked. "You know- if the cuddles and long talks didn't give you the hint."

"I'm serious."

"No," he hummed in amusement. "I think that would be me."

"SIRIUS!"

Sirius' lighthearted grin faded as he saw Hermione's escalating panic. She'd seemed off since the beginning of the meeting and her cryptic statements only seemed to lend themselves to whatever was bothering her.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" He asked gently. "You _know_ how much you mean to me, we've talked about this."

Hermione gulped, collecting her tempest of thoughts. _How was she supposed to start this conversation? 'Oh I know we're dating and all, so bonding ourselves for the rest of our bloody lives shouldn't be too big of a jump?'_

"Hermione..."

"I know you've been recovering from Dolohov's curse these past few weeks." She burst out.

Sirius stilled.

"I've been hit by the curse before, I recognized the potions you were taking while you were healing."

Sirius sighed deeply, glancing around at the milling Order members surrounding them.

"How much do you know?" He asked quietly.

Hermione pursed her lips.

"No, nevermind." He bit out. "Not here."

She felt her heart sink as he dismissed her. Surely he realized they needed to talk about this? Her worries were brought to a halt when he offered her his hand.

"May I take you to my flat?"

Relief flooded her veins as she met his anxious gaze. _He was just as nervous as she was._ She slipped her hand into his, allowing him to whisk her away.

His flat was modern but woodsy- complete with dark wood floors and leather couches. The place was neater than she would have expected. It was very different from his childhood room back in Grimmauld Place, and there was no sight of any posters or brooms anywhere. She was surprised, even though he'd been telling her for weeks how obstinately rebellious he was as a child and how he'd grown since. His flat was evidence enough.

To her surprise, there was a single bookshelf in the living room with a few spellbooks in it. His kitchen looked well-stocked- as if he actually used it.

He stepped into the kitchen, smoothly pulling out a glass bottle of Firewhiskey.

"Would you like some?" He asked in a detached tone, not meeting her eyes.

"Sure." Her voice was soft- uncertain.

He filled two crystal tumblers with a few inches of the amber liquor before placing them on the grey marble counter between them.

"So you know about Dolohov's curse," Sirius repeated, finally meeting her eyes.

She nodded.

"Do you know why?"

She nodded again.

His eyes darkened before he brought his glass up to his lips, taking a generous sip. Hermione tried to feel for that blanket of emotions she seemed to be able to detect from Sirius. Right now, she couldn't tell how he felt, but he certainly looked displeased.

To her astonishment, she could make out one emotion as bright as day, clear above all the other tumultuous feelings.

Fear.

"Sirius, I know you used the Coniunctus Ritual to save me."

"Shit."

She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. He seemed so downtrodden.

His eyes flew up to hers. "You're not mad?" He asked incredulously.

"Oh I was," she assured. "I was fuming. I couldn't tell whether I should turn you into a bird and stick you in a room with McGonagall or kill you myself. But..."

"But?" He asked hopefully.

"James and Lily explained. I doubt I'd even be alive if you hadn't done what you did, so I can hardly hate you for it." She admitted quietly.

"Thank Merlin," he exhaled clenching his fingers through his hair.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wouldn't change anything if you knew," he insisted. "It wasn't something I wanted you to worry about."

She walked around the counter, coming to stand directly in front of him until he could look nowhere but at her.

"You almost died because of it."

"I'm fine," he insisted weakly. "Right as rain."

"We have to complete the bond."

"No."

"Sirius-"

"No, Hermione. Absolutely not."

"You don't get to make that decision!" She cried heatedly.

"You could die!" He yelled back in her face. "If we're not a perfect match, you could die," he whispered fearfully.

"And you'd die too," she acknowledged sadly. "But we're at war. If something happens to me and we don't complete the bond, you'll die anyway!"

"I knew what I was doing when I did the spell, Hermione." A hard, stubborn glint entered his eyes.

"You know," she began pensively. "I don't think completing the bond would kill us."

"You can't know that."

"Not for sure, no. But we are well matched. Our magic is well-matched. I've seen you duel, Sirius. Both now and in the future. I don't think completing the bond will risk our lives."

"Even still, I won't have it." He bit out in no uncertain terms.

"Do you not want us bound for life?" She asked shakily. Sirius' gaze swiveled to her in disbelief, but she plowed on. "I know you did it to save my life, but I can't live with the risk that you could die for me. It doesn't have to change anything between us- we can just keep-"

Sirius lowered his head to hers, one of his hands weaving into her hair as he forced her to look up at him. "You're crazy."

She met his eyes uncertainly.

"You think I'm opposed to being bound to you? That's why I don't want to complete it?" He asked fondly.

"It doesn't matter, it _shouldn't_ matt-"

"Hermione, being with you has been the most natural thing I've ever done in my life," he murmured, brushing his forehead against hers affectionately. "And it _does_ matter, because with or without the bond I will be waiting for you for the rest of my existence."

She stared at him dumbfounded.

He wanted her. Truly wanted her. Enough for forever.

She pushed up onto her toes, closing the distance between them. The initial press of her lips surprised Sirius to no ends. Hermione was typically shy when it came to this and rarely made the first move. But her fingers brushed through his hair lovingly as she savored his lips, taking in the solid, steady heat of the wizard before her.

It was when she finally began to pull away that snapped Sirius out of his surprise. His hands curled around the supple curves of her waist, drawing her back against him. She was all softness against the harder, unbending planes of his form.

"Does that mean you feel the same?" His voice was gravelly from the anticipation.

"Are you sure you're not just being chivalrous?" Hermione asked instead.

To her surprise, Sirius' response was a husky chuckle. "Believe me, love, I got into Gryffindor for my bravery and recklessness. I'm too selfish to be chivalrous."

"But you saved me."

"Entirely selfish," he murmured, peppering kisses along her jaw until his lips brushed the shell of her ear. "I couldn't imagine you being gone- it was unfathomable. Saving you was as much for me as it was for you."

He continued his journey along the column of her neck, drawing a breathless gasp from her as he nipped at a particularly sensitive spot right over her pulse.

She believed him. They might've had a rocky start, but he'd proven his intentions at least ten times over. And she believed him.

Slipping her hands into his long, soft locks, she drew his head back where she wanted it. Sirius groaned into her mouth, immediately deepening the kiss as he walked her back against the marble counter. His fingers dug into the satin cloth of her blouse as he swept her shirt up to her waist. The first touch of his heated hands on her bare ribs made her shiver.

Hermione tugged her blouse over her head, relishing in the way looked down at her in glimmering appreciation. She fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. "Too. . . many clothes," she whispered against his mouth.

Sirius heard her huff in frustration before he felt the fabric melting away from his body.

He tore away from her, barking in laughter as he realized she'd simply vanished his shirt. "Impatient witch," he accused with amusement as he hauled her against him, both of them gasping at the sensation.

"Sirius..." Hermione panted against his open lips. "Take me to bed."

His eyes darkened, and he slipped his hands under her thighs before hiking her up so her legs were twined around his waist. "As my witch commands."

Delighted giggles escaped her as his lips nipped and suckled along her neck while he walked them deeper into the flat. Kicking his way into his bedroom, he gently lowered Hermione to the bed, his own body sliding over hers. His lips continued their curious journey down the valley between her breasts. His hands found the zipper at the side of her skirt, the sound of it echoing through the room.

"Have you done this before?" He asked her, looking up at her.

"No," she gulped, completely breathless at the sight of Sirius lounging between her legs, resting his head on her stomach while his fingers absentmindedly played with her partially unzipped skirt.

A small, satisfied grin tugged at his lips, but Hermione found that she couldn't bring herself to care enough to rebuke his smarminess.

He slipped her skirt and underwear off in one smooth tug. Instead of climbing back up her body, he began to resettle between her legs. Hermione felt the heat rising to her cheeks as she saw him staring at her like a meal he was waiting to devour.

"You don't have to do that," she said breathlessly.

"Sweetness, you smell delectable," he brushed his lips against her hip bone. "Please let me taste you. I promise you'll enjoy it."

Hermione bit her lip in anticipation, and that was all the response Sirius needed before his head disappeared between her legs. He worked her up as steadily and relentlessly as he did anything. Her whimpers grew as her hips rose off the bed instinctively, yet he didn't ease until he felt her entire body shiver under him.

Rising to his elbows with a satisfied grin, he laughed when Hermione jerked him to her, immediately seeking out his lips. She felt him position himself, sighing into his mouth as he pushed into her gently. He paused hesitantly before Hermione urged him along.

"I know it'll hurt at first, it's fine. _I want this._ "

Sirius dropped an affectionate peck to the tip of her nose before surging forward in one swift motion. The sensation drew a sharp inhale from her. The sharp sting dissipated quickly enough into a feeling unlike anything she'd experienced. He patiently held still to allow her to adjust, his hand disappearing between their bodies to seek out the small pearl between her legs. All too quickly, she could feel a familiar heat building in her lower belly, she pushed up against him, begging him to _move_.

Cradling her close, he moved in slow, languid strokes, savoring the pull of her. His eyes never left hers, stormy grey irises burning into her honeyed brown ones.

"I think . . . " Hermione stuttered as surged forward in a particularly deep thrust. "I . . . I think we should complete the bond."

Sirius groaned, his head dropping against her neck as he nipped the juncture of her shoulder punishingly. "Don't try to ask me important things when all my blood is at the wrong head."

Hermione couldn't help the laugh that escaped her.

"Obviously I'm doing something wrong," he snapped his hips against hers, drawing a loud gasp, "If you can still think clearly."

He proceeded to show her exactly how effectively he could distract her until she was a quivering pile of pliant flesh. His intensity thrilled her- she was always thinking to the point where she wondered whether she would ever be able to make her brain stop. But here, with Sirius, she couldn't think past the sensation of him moving against her. They moved together until they were both tensing from the pleasure. For once, her thoughts were blissfully silent.

He held her afterward, summoning his wand to tenderly clean her up.

She watched him as he drew the blanket over her protectively, dropping a soft peck to her lips before stepping out to send James a patronus that Hermione was with him for the day, in case they got worried. He was back before her thoughts had the chance to race ahead of her, collecting her into his embrace with a deep, content sigh.

"I meant it, you know," Hermione whispered, looking up at him. "We should complete the bond."

"No," he said gently but sternly. "I won't risk it."

"But you could die if something happens to me," she pleaded, the fear bleeding into her voice. "Can't you see why I can't live with that?"

"All the more reason to make sure you don't get yourself hurt," he pointed out with a soft smile, dropping a kiss to her forehead.

"Sirius, this isn't a joke. We can't risk anything like that." She pouted in annoyance.

Sirius studied her contemplatively before speaking in a low, sure tone. " _If,_ and that's a big _if_ , we ever decide to complete this bond, it will not be because you're scared I'm going to die. If we do this, it's forever. And I won't have you making that choice just to make sure I don't get hurt."

"But-"

"Shh... Hermione," Sirius pulled her close, tucking her head into his chest. "I promise I'll be fine. I won't get hurt because of you because I intend to make sure you never get hurt to begin with."

Hearing the surety in his words calmed her a bit. She was usually the one fixing and taking care of everything. As her eyes drifted closed, she realized how nice it was to be taken care of for a change.


	30. Battle Strategy

**30 | BATTLE STRATEGY**

For the first time in months, Hermione woke up feeling warm. Usually, she woke in the middle of the night in a panic or would find herself curled up in a fetal position at the crack of dawn. But this time, her eyes fluttered open to welcoming rays of sunshine. Glancing back, she drank in the sight of Sirius sleeping peacefully while holding her in a secure cocoon. Now that she thought about it, she always slept peacefully with Sirius- even back in her first days in this time when he'd merely sit at her feet in his dog form to chase the nightmares away.

She gently extracted herself from his hold, slipping out of bed.

While she enjoyed being in his arms, she was always restless in the mornings. Setting about to find Sirius' stash of coffee, Hermione let her curiosity take hold as she carefully studied the scattered photo frames on the walls on the way to the kitchen. None of them had Peter in them anymore. But nearly all of them had the Marauders. She liked that about Sirius; he was so fiercely loyal to his own. Even though he was sometimes childish and hot-headed, there was a burning intensity about the way he cared. Hermione snorted to herself as she realized he almost reminded her of Ron in that sense.

It was marveling how drastically life had changed. For years she'd thought she was destined to be with her best friend. Sometimes the loss of her old life still snuck up on her during lonely nights of pondering where she might have been if they hadn't gotten dragged to Malfoy Manor that fateful night. Yet, when she sat at breakfast with the Potters and Harry and Neville, the self-pity faded into a comfortable sense of belonging. Sure this wasn't what she'd planned for, even though Hermione Granger _always_ had a plan. But it was hardly the worst price to pay for all the good it's done.

Hermione was humming to herself as she poured hot water from the kettle she'd set, not even detecting the wizard leaning against the far wall as he smiled at her.

"Oh, MERLIN," Hermione jumped in surprise as she turned with her cup of coffee. "Sirius!"

"Morning," he smirked, not at all apologetic.

"You're lucky you didn't make me spill my coffee," Hermione glowered, setting her cup on the counter.

He raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Worth it."

Sirius wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist, his head settling comfortably on her shoulder. "Why are you up so early? Did you have a nightmare?"

"This is late for me."

"Hermione, it's 7 am!"

"I slept really well," she turned her head to look at him. "Probably partially because of you," she admitted. "Usually, I wake around five and have a hard time getting back to sleep."

Sirius groaned, burying his head into the crook of her neck. "The atrocity!" He mumbled into her skin. He detached himself from her with a soft pinch to the waist. "We're going to have to teach you how to have a proper lay-in."

She watched him over her cup of coffee as he set about making a cup for himself. "I'd like that," she responded softly. She didn't quite know how to be in a relationship- especially this one, where everything was so complicated from the beginning.

Sirius glanced over, noticing the slight hesitance in her words. "Oh, don't you worry," he warned her. "We have plenty to learn about each other. For example: if you ever try and get me out of bed before I'm ready, I'll likely vanish you to the Black Lake."

Hermione raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Well... just know I'll do the same if you ever snatch a book out of my hand."

He nodded with the utmost seriousness for a moment before breaking into rich, melodic chuckles that made her heart warm. "I might get a trip to the Black Lake then because I'm not sure I can promise that. You almost always have your nose stuck in them!"

"I'm not even that bad anymore!" Hermione insisted with an indignant huff. "You should've seen me at Hogwarts!"

"I wish I had," Sirius smiled affectionately. "You'll have to show me more memories. The _good_ ones."

"Soon," Hermione agreed. "Once this is all over," she added pensively. "Once my life stops feeling like this constant continuation of a limbo doomed never to end."

"Maybe sooner than we expected, what with that meeting Dumbledore called for today," Sirius pointed out meaningfully.

"What?" Hermione asked dumbly.

"The meeting? Dumbledore announced we were going to have a- Honestly, witch, did you hear a single thing he said last night?"

"Not really," she admitted sheepishly.

"Why?" Sirius smirked. "Was I too distracting?"

"NO," Hermione insisted, flushing in embarrassment. "I was a bit caught up over the fact that we could both turn into felons if you got caught for creating a blood bond!"

"Not under this ministry," Sirius scoffed.

"What's the meeting for?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Strategizing." Sirius' lips turned up into a satisfied smile. "For the final battle."

 **~o~O~o~**

By noon the very same day, the most active of the Order had reassembled, this time at headquarters. Hermione and Sirius had stopped by Potter Manor before going to the meeting- Hermione had insisted. She'd been out all night, which was horribly unlike her, to begin with. And after the last time she saw the Potters, she didn't want them thinking she'd gone and killed their child's godfather.

Lily and James had merely watched them with knowing glances, offering nothing but smirking assurances that they were glad they'd worked things out.

Going back to headquarters had been a bit of a reality check, but it was both daunting and exhilarating all at once. They were almost at the flashpoint- this could indeed be over soon. The room was buzzing with anticipation that reflected the nervous hopes of every member within the room.

"ALL RIGHT QUIET!" Moody exclaimed, drawing all their attention back.

"Right then," Dumbledore began in his comforting, relaxed tone. "As you already know, we've made impressive strides these past months- from regaining Potter Manor, to destroying the Nott stronghold. Truly, the progress is impeccable!"

"We've gathered here today because we just received new intel from Hestia, who's been positioned at the ministry, that the Death Eaters' main forces might have moved to Malfoy Manor."

Narcissa, who stood calmly by her cousin Andromeda and her family, seemed to startle in surprise. Everyone glanced at her questioningly.

"I- I suppose that's possible," she stammered. "They'd already breached the wards on the night I escaped. I suppose they could find a way to seize the manor now that Lucius and I are no longer there. Especially if the Dark Lord himself put his mind to it."

"And we should take you at your word because?" Kingsley asked suspiciously.

His concern sparked a small wave of mirroring murmurs through the crowded room as others assessed the Malfoy matriarch in suspicion. Hermione felt Sirius tense beside her. He'd felt so guilty about abandoning his family because of how Regulus turned out, so now he was particularly sensitive to his remaining cousins. As he opened his mouth to defend her, a loud voice boomed over the whispers.

"You all can take your baseless accusations and shove them up your arse! It's where all the other shit belongs," Fabian spoke clearly, shifting a few steps until he was standing beside the Black sisters.

"Fabian!" Molly hissed from across the room.

Hermione's jaw dropped in absolute shock. Fabian had always been the more level-headed and diplomatic of the twins, whereas Gideon was typically the more brutish 'do-as-I-please' one.

"It's true," he insisted, glowering at the shocked room. "We wouldn't have even been able to get into Nott Estate without her intel, much less overthrow it."

"Correct, Mr. Prewett," Dumbledore said indulgently, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Mrs. Malfoy's loyalties are not what's under question here."

As the others seemed to accept Dumbledore's word reluctantly, Narcissa watched the intimidatingly broad back of the one Fabian Prewett. She hadn't even thought he'd liked her, much less like her enough to stand up to the rest of the Order! She didn't come from a world where you stuck your neck out for others. She herself had failed to act when her very own sister got ousted from the family! Yet here he was, valiantly defending her.

 _'Must be a Gryffindor thing,'_ she convinced herself. _'Recklessly brave- the lot of them. Stupidly so.'_

"If Voldemort has holed himself up in Malfoy Manor, we can end this whole thing with one swift attack," Moody said gruffly.

"That we can," Dumbledore agreed. "But we need to prepare."

"Who's fighting?" Fabian asked.

"When do we attack?" Gideon echoed simultaneously.

To everyone's surprise, Dumbledore looked to Marlene McKinnon, who stood by herself. Her parents weren't technically active Order members, and ever since the whole ordeal with Sirius, she'd tended to steer clear of them as a group.

"I'd have to check the numbers," she shrugged cautiously. "We need better estimates of their numbers, and perhaps a layout of the manor."

"I can help with that," Narcissa spoke up clearly.

"Perfect," Dumbledore encouraged. "Mrs. Malfoy, Ms. McKinnon, is one of our best strategists, so you'll be in good hands."

Hermione leaned over to Lily, nudging her discretely. "I didn't know Marlene had such an important job," she whispered.

"She doesn't like to talk about her work much, she's not allowed to discuss most of it anyway," Lily responded. "But she's always been scarily sharp. Brilliant at arithmancy and astronomy. Dumbledore had her train with the centaurs to learn their practices of divination- thought the stars were more reliable than crystal balls."

"Minnie and I can help her come up with a better estimate for when to attack, can't we?"

The entire room went silent the moment the words left Moody's words. Sirius snorted, and James seemed to choke on the air, coughing until Lily had to pat his back. Professor McGonagall turned her head slowly, glaring at Moody with a seething temper.

"Yes, we shall, _Alastor._ "

Everyone seemed to hold their breath for the moment she'd transform and attack Moody, but the moment never came. But Hermione could tell from the indignant fire in her eyes that Moody would likely get his penance when he least expected it.

"In the meantime," Dumbledore continued without pause. "Hestia, Kingsley, and Arthur- keep your ears to the ground in the following days. We need to know any information circulating the ministry at once."

They nodded briefly.

"Moody, you'd best continue training with your Aurors. Have Hermione and Severus join you."

While most people had accepted Snape's role by now, some still rolled their eyes at the lone wizard standing in the far corner by himself. Not even Mary McDonald could be seen at his side today.

"All Aurors?" James asked, hopefully. "Does that mean I can return to work?"

Hermione felt Lily tense beside her.

"If you'd like, yes," Dumbledore said carefully. "It's likely this will be the last battle, and I won't tell you not to fight."

"What about the rest of us?" Marlene spoke up, drawing their attention from a beaming James Potter. "I know we're not all Aurors, but I refuse to simply sit by for the last battle."

"You can fight if you choose," Dumbledore said. "We'll likely need as many wands as we can get."

"If ye want, ye can train with me and the others," Moody assured gruffly.

"And in the meantime," McGonagall spoke up. "We should be rebuilding our potions stocks. We don't know how bad things will get when the day finally comes. We need to prepare for the worst."

"I can start working on that," Lily spoke up clearly.

"But Lily," James argued. "You're- you-"

"I'm what?" She turned to him with an impatient glare. If he were allowed out to fight as an Auror even despite the price on their heads, he certainly wouldn't be stopping her from doing her part to make sure he wouldn't die.

"You're pregnant," James tried to reason with her.

"Not far enough along that brewing is dangerous," she maintained stubbornly.

"I can help her," Mary spoke up.

"Me too!" Narcissa declared.

"I suppose that settles it," Dumbledore said with an excited clap, bringing their meeting to a close.

"And everyone remember-" Moody barked at them.

Hermione rolled her eyes, already knowing what was coming. "CONSTANT VIGILANCE! We _know._ "

Moody's eyes narrowed sternly, and he turned away, muttering to himself. ' _Teach 'em for a few weeks, and they think they know everything!'_

Sirius nudged her, looking down at her, impressed. "I don't think anyone's talked back to Moody and gotten away with it."

Hermione rolled her eyes again. "Wait until the Weasley twins grow up- they're worse than the Prewetts! I'd recon even worse than you Marauders!"

"Take that back!" Sirius demanded indignantly.

 **~o~O~o~**

The Prewetts were debriefing with Moody when Marlene walked over to them. Gideon caught sight of her first, going still as she joined them.

"Ah, McKinnon, good," Moody said. "We'll need to talk to Minerva and Blacks soon- preferably today."

"You mean Mrs. Malfoy?" She asked curiously.

"Eh, still a Black. But I need to check on something- I'll be back in a moment. In the meantime, get acquainted with the Prewetts. With such little time before this all blows up in our faces, they'll be helping me train those who aren't already."

Marlene glanced at them hesitantly as Moody walked away. "So which twin is training me? Or is it both of you?" She tried to joke.

Fabian raised an eyebrow in amusement. "I believe my less handsome brother has already claimed that honor. If you'll excuse me, I need to check in with Andromeda."

Gideon glared at his identical twin as he quickly made his excuses to leave. Before he knew it, he was left alone with Marlene, who was watching him curiously.

"Uh... thank you," she spoke up. "For lending my family your flat. I'm trying to find and secure some other place as soon as I can, and I think I've found something reasonable. I should be able to get us out by-"

"Just stay there," Gideon interrupted her sternly.

". . . Pardon?"

"It's not safe with everything coming to a head so quickly, and the wards on my flat are better than whatever you can manage to put up in such short notice. So just stay until it's all over."

"Gideon, that's very generous of you, but I couldn't."

"You can, and you will. It's the safest choice for your family, and you know it." His eyes burned into her.

"I'm sure we'll manage just fine," Marlene gulped.

"Dammit, just take the offer. I'm staying with my twin anyway, who's been tragically single his entire life. You're not putting anyone out."

Marlene considered his stubborn set eyes for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Gideon gave her a brief nod. It was far more of a relief to him knowing they'd be safe within the wards of his flat.

"So... when exactly does this training happen?" She asked curiously. "I'll probably spend daytimes working on strategizing the logistics of the attack."

"Do you have to fight?" He asked abruptly.

Marlene seemed taken aback. "It's the final battle- of course, I have to fight."

"We have plenty of wands, despite what Dumbledore said," he implored her. "It's too risky, and you really don't need to-"

"Look here, Gideon Prewett," Marlene spoke in a low but outraged tone. "Everyone in this room takes a risk every day. I will not stand aside and let everyone else fight when I could be helping." She was so bloody tired of people assuming she was an airhead or a ditz. "I may not be trained like an Auror, but I'm not inept at combative magic."

"But, you're already helping!" He implored. "You're the brains behind all our attacks! We can't risk losing you in battle."

 _So he didn't think she was thick? Then what?_

"Which is why I haven't ever fought up to this point. But if this is the _final_ battle, it won't matter if I outlive it if we lose."

"Marlene-"

"Gideon, I'm not the same scared little girl you remember from Hogwarts!"

Her outburst caught him by surprise. She heard a low, frustrated growl before he stepped up to her- barely a few inches away.

"Believe me, _I know,_ " he bit out in a low tone, his eyes smoldering in frustration and something else she couldn't quite place.

Before she had the chance to reply, he was already stalking away.

 **~o~O~o~**

James had no luck convincing Lily not to keep brewing. Being the sharp man he was, he knew he could hardly reprimand her for wanting to do her part when he was practically leaping to get back in the fight. _He knew it was a risk, but he was going stir crazy!_

Lily had gone off to speak to Mary, still annoyed with her husband's recklessness. Merlin, she missed the days he'd wished to be a professional Quidditch player. Sure, it gave him a big head, but she could live with that. She hated not knowing when her husband would come back every time he went on a mission- or even _if_ he'd return. But the looming war right after their graduation from Hogwarts had given them little choice in the matter. If anything, her being muggleborne only cemented his decision to join Sirius in Auror training and pass up the numerous invitations to tryouts he'd received from professional Quidditch leagues.

"We should make a list of how much we want of every potion," Mary said. "Narcissa might be beneficial. If we know who our opponents are, we know which spells they're likely to use and which potions we'll need the most of."

"That's a good idea," Lily nodded.

"Would you ladies need an additional hand?" A deep voice interrupted.

"Severus!" Lily greeted enthusiastically, not noticing the way Mary stiffened, looking away.

"I have a potions lab we can use- already fully stocked."

"Perhaps," Lily nodded. "As long as someone can watch the kids, I'm sure I'm allowed out if my husband is too."

"McDonald," Snape greeted experimentally.

"Snape," she nodded half-heartedly. "I should go. . . check-in with McGonagall. I'll owl you, Lily."

As Mary walked away, muttering her abysmal excuses, Lily watched in confusion until she saw Severus watching her leave guiltily.

"Oh no," she groaned. "What did you do?"

"What makes you think I did anything?" Snape sniffed in an aloof manner.

"Please, Severus. It's _me_ you're talking to. You always get pissy when you've done something wrong. Like you're mad someone's upset with you. So out with it! What have you done?"

"I might've told Granger what Black did," he admitted.

Lily sighed deeply. "I'd wondered how Hermione found out. . . You're lucky they worked it out!"

"It's not my problem if they didn't," he sniffed disdainfully.

"But why is Mary angry about it? She's not close to either of them."

"I don't think she is angry about that."

"So...?" Lily coaxed.

"She might've mentioned something about how she was attacked in her sixth year."

"Oh, I remember that!" Lily grimaced. "It was horrible! Remus, James, and Sirius wouldn't let me go anywhere without one of them for months- and I still _hated_ James back then!"

"Yes, well, apparently, when Mulciber was running his mouth about getting expelled for it, I told him at least he got to out with a laugh."

"You didn't," she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

"I didn't mean it! I didn't even _know_ her back then! I was just trying to get an in with the Death Eaters."

"You have to apologize!" Lily insisted sternly.

Snape grumbled, mumbling about how he'd hardly know how to apologize for something he'd said half-heartedly back when he didn't even know the witch.

"Oh please," Lily scoffed. " I know you know how to apologize. I seem to remember you camping out in front of the Gryffindor common room to try and apologize to me!"

"And look what good that did me," he said darkly.

Lily sighed. "I was too stubborn to accept your apology back then. But Mary's better than that! I doubt you'll even need to grovel . . . much."

" _Really_ reassuring, Lily," Snape sneered dryly.

"You got yourself into this mess," she smirked.

 **~o~O~o~**

 **It's Official!**

 **There are only 10 fully outlined chapters remaining to this story (including multiple, in-depth epilogues)! So close!**

 **Now that finals are over, I've set a schedule for myself. I'll be publishing twice a week *fingers crossed* until this story is finished. Feel free to bug me if I don't do as I say lol, I have no good excuses now.**

 **How do you guys like it? Which pairings/scenarios do you want to see more of?**

 **Yours Truly,**  
 **adharyn**


	31. Marauders Assemble

**31 | MARAUDERS ASSEMBLE**

Laying in bed the next morning, Hermione repeatedly went over the last conversation she'd had with Sirius. Everyone had been buzzing from Dumbledore's announcement yesterday, and most of them had broken into smaller groups to discuss their assignments. Hermione was looking for an excuse to escape the awkward conversation between Lily and James about each not wanting the other to return to work.

Luckily, Sirius had swept in, gently drawing her away for 'a word.'

"So this is it," he said hesitantly. "We're almost at the end of it."

"If I don't die and end up killing us both," she chirped.

"Not funny," Sirius frowned.

"It's a joke only I can make," she shrugged.

"Have you... have you considered what you want to do? After this is all over?"

Hermione looked at him curiously. "I've never considered it. I feel like I've been fighting this war since I was a little girl."

"No- I mean..." Sirius brushed his hair back, flustered. "There's another Hermione in this world, right?"

She froze. "I'd almost forgotten," she said fondly. "Well, I meant what I said when I first got here. I won't stand in the way of her future. I want her to grow up _here_. I want her to be able to experience Hogwarts without all the mayhem I did."

"You're not leaving, right?" Sirius asked urgently.

Hermione watched him, genuinely considering that question for a moment. When she first got here, that would have been the safest option to prevent the timelines from colliding. After the end of the war, she would've gone to the continent or maybe even America. Who knows? Maybe even Australia. Somewhere she could start anew- where no one would recognize her or question her. But that was _before_ everything- before she was bound to Sirius Black, and before she became the godmother to the Potters' children.

"Look," Sirius said intensely. "I don't care what you do. I just hope you see _me_ in your future. I'll go wherever you choose- I just- I can't see my future without you."

Hermione could only stare in dumbfounded surprise. The man before her was leagues different from the brash wizard she'd gotten to know her first few weeks here.

"Promise me you won't disappear. Not without me." He implored.

"I promise," she whispered.

 **~o~O~o~**

"Hermione!"

"Yes, Lily?"

Hermione emerged from the library, hearing the Manor's mistress call for her. She made her way down the grand staircase of the warmly lit room and pearl marble flooring, finding the source of the voice in the tea room.

"Oh! Mary, hi!" Hermione greeted the newcomer.

"I was wondering whether I could bother you to watch Neville and Harry for a few hours? I need to get started on our potions stocks with Mary and Severus."

"Of course!" Hermione grinned. "Where's James?"

Lily's face darkened. "On a scouting mission with Sirius and Remus."

"I thought Remus only did diplomatic work- not Auror's work?"

"With everything speeding up, Moody agreed the Aurors could use an extra wand right now."

"He always was good with a wand," Hermione recalled fondly.

"Oh yes, your precious Professor Lupin," Lily teased mirthfully.

" _Professor_ Lupin?" Mary interjected curiously.

Lily froze, realizing her slip too late. But Hermione laughed smoothly. "I'm always insisted Remus would make a great professor. He might not be an Auror, but he's very informed about defensive magic."

"Ah," Mary nodded acceptingly. "Makes sense, he was one of the best students back when we were at Hogwarts, right, Lily?"

"Right," Lily laughed in relief.

The two witches disapparated away, leaving Hermione to go hunt down the kids, who Lily had said she'd left in the care of their house-elf, Polly. Striding down the magnificent halls of the Potters' residence, she couldn't help but think how different she already was from the girl who fell through time a few months ago. When the Potters had first introduced Polly, her hackles had immediately risen. She didn't think the Potters of all families would own a house-elf. The judgment and condemnation were abruptly halted when the tiny creature took one look at James before beginning to whack him with the dishrag she carried.

"Bad Master Potter! How could you leaves us here all alone with no family?"

"Polly! Polly!" James cried, trying to dodge the small but fierce blows. "I'm sorry!"

"Hi Polly," Lily had interrupted with a small but amused smile.

"Miss Lily!" Polly had run towards the witch with her arms wide to embrace her when she froze at the sight of Neville and Harry clinging to her legs, curiously watching the animated elf. "Kids? I thoughts you only had one child?"

"Our family's a little bigger than we planned," James ran his fingers through his hair, bemused. "That won't be a problem, will it?"

Polly sniffed in the most regal manner Hermione'd ever seen from house-elf. "I suppose I shalls forgive yous for leaving Polly all alone for so long. Now she has not one but _two_ kids to look after!" Polly's eyes softened adoringly on Harry and Neville.

"I gave you clothes before we went into hiding Polly, you didn't have to stay," James argued.

"Polly will thank Master Potter not to insult her again like that," the elf glared. "The Potters are Polly's family! Where woulds I go?"

Hermione had already known from the scene before her to keep her mouth shut on her views on house-elves. It seemed Polly was already free, and yet still adored the family she'd served.

Approaching the kitchen, Hermione heard whispered shushing and the high pitched voice of an elf.

"Misters Potters and Longbottoms! You musts stop! Or Polly shall be very unhappy!"

Hermione peeked her head in the door to see Harry and Neville on the floor. Harry had his hands in a jar of chocolate chip cookies, and for every one he ate, he magically floated one over to Neville. Hermione's eyes gleamed in happiness. Accidental magic so early? From what she remembered, Harry had been so suppressed in her time that he didn't have any incidents of accidental magic until he was ten!

She cleared her throat, leaning against the doorway with what she hoped was a stern and aloof expression. "What do we have here?"

Both boys froze, turning to her slowly. Their faces were covered in cookie crumbs and chocolate chips.

They were caught, quite literally, with their hands in the cookie jar.

"Hi 'Mione!" They both smiled wildly, hiding their hands behind their backs.

 **~o~O~o~**

Meanwhile, the marauders were off double-checking and re-securing the safe houses and properties under the Order's jurisdiction. _Every. Single. One._

"Are they just giving us busy work?" Sirius grumbled as they finished updating wards for the sixth house that day.

"I think they just want all their ducks in a row before everything goes down," James shrugs, merely happy to be back out in the field. "You know- if we all need to go into hiding in case the battle doesn't go our way.

Sirius paused, looking at his friend as though he'd gone mad. "What the bloody hell do ducks have to do with it?"

Remus snorted as James grinned in amusement. "Muggle expression- Lily's always using it. It means they're just trying to prepare for everything."

"How is Lily?" Remus asked. "Everything all right with the baby?"

"She already has a little bump," James said gleefully. But his expression dropped almost immediately. "Though that's not enough to convince her to stay home."

"I'm not surprised," Sirius interjected. "Asking her to stay home while you're gallivanting off with the Aurors would drive her crazy!"

"But, she's pregnant!" James insisted stubbornly.

"She's only brewing healing potions, mate," Remus reminded him. "They're not even dangerous!"

"I guess," James grumbled.

"Boy or girl?" Sirius asked.

"We don't know," James shrugged. "Lily wants to wait. But I'm hoping for a girl!"

"Just so you know, I intend to spoil her silly," Remus said frankly.

The other two broke out laughing. "I'm glad Remus gets the girl," Sirius said. "I wouldn't know what to do with one."

" _If_ they're a girl," James reminded.

"With Hermione and me as godparents, we might even get this kid into Ravenclaw," Remus laughed.

"Don't jinx the child!" James gasped in mock indignation. "Besides, Hermione is Harry's godmother too, and we already know Harry gets into Gryffindor!"

"I wouldn't underestimate her," Sirius laughed. "Hermione's more of a rule-breaker than she lets on. There's a reason she was in Gryffindor."

"Speaking of Hermione..." James turned to Sirius curiously.

Sirius groaned. "I knew this would come up eventually."

"I'm just surprised she didn't kill you," James raised his hands in surrender. "She was _seething_ when she left Potter Manor."

"Oh, you know, me and my powers of persuasion," Sirius wiggled his eyebrows.

"So, you completed the bond?" Remus asked.

"No," Sirius said, suddenly serious. "I don't want her deciding that during the war."

"You'll be vulnerable until she completes it," James pointed out.

Sirius shrugged. "I knew what I was getting into."

 **~o~O~o~**

It was an understatement to say the air was tense between the three potioneers.

"Severus!" Lily had greeted warmly upon their entrance to Spinner's End.

"Lily," he said, accepting her hug gratefully. "Mary," he looked at the other witch cautiously.

"Snape," she nodded in a polite, business-like manner.

Snape frowned. Usually, she was the one calling him by his given name, and he was the one who insisted on sticking to her last name. He knew she was still angry at him, but she'd never been this aloof with him- not even when he'd first came to the Order, and _everyone_ distrusted him.

They immediately settled into their work. Mary kept busy preparing the ingredients Lily brought over- chopping, slicing, and peeling in silence. Snape rather preferred it that way- brewing had always been a quiet, reflective process for him. But Lily couldn't help but attempt to fill the silence, standing with him as she helped him time his stirs and mix in the ingredients Mary handed them. After so long of not seeing Lily, he found he didn't mind her soft voice chirping away.

Lily, on the other hand, was hyperaware of the tension so thick she could slice through it. She tried to talk to Snape, and to her relief, he seemed interested as she told him about her time while they'd been apart. Numerous times she'd tried to bring Mary into the conversation, and while Mary answered her with a small smile, she immediately returned to her work.

They brewed for hours until they'd prepared two cauldrons of pepper-up, a cauldron of skele-grow, and three cauldrons of enhanced dittany. Now the just needed to wait for them to finish brewing.

"I'm so glad I'm a healer," Lily admitted as they wrapped things up. "At least I can still help even though I'm pregnant."

"Oh, right! James mentioned that during the last meeting," Mary exclaimed. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you," Lily gushed.

Severus watched his childhood friend, surprised when there was no lingering bitterness as she talked about having another child with Potter. He'd been in love with Lily for as long as he could remember. But somehow, the distance of not having her in his life on top of the scare of nearly losing her all together changed his perspective. He was merely grateful they were friends again. Besides, after everything he'd done and seen, he rather doubted they'd suit. He remembered the painful memory in which she refused to see or forgive him for his inexcusable slip of the tongue. Yet that incident didn't hold a candle to some of the things he'd done since. Being a Death Eater did not come without its fair share of dirty work.

"I need to go check on my kids," Lily said, looking between Snape and Mary, who were still obstinately ignoring each other. "Will you two be okay to wrap things up?"

"Of course," Mary said quickly. "Go, I'm sure Harry and Neville miss you."

Lily disapparated away with a crack, and Mary resumed wiping down the work table the muggle way, repeatedly running the cloth over the same already-clean surface.

"Mary," Severus began quietly.

She didn't even twitch, much less respond.

"Will you just look at me?" He burst out impatiently. "Merlin, I thought you were one of the mature ones."

Her spine stiffened, and she turned to him with a hard glare. "Did you have something to say, or are you just being a bitter man again?"

Snape sighed, looking away from her piercing gaze. Few people had managed to make him so flustered, Lily included. "I'm trying to apologize."

"For what?"

"For saying what I did back at Hogwarts. I never meant it- I barely even knew you back then."

Mary scoffed. "And that's supposed to make it okay?"

"No," Snape defended. "But you have to understand. I was a very different man back then- a very different _boy_. I was trying to get in with that crowd, so yes, I told Mucliber what he'd want to hear."

Mary's face fell, disappointment replacing her anger. For some reason, that felt even worse to him.

"I know," she admitted.

"You knew who I was when I first came here," Severus insisted. "You _knew._ Yet you were the one who approached me!"

"I know," she repeated quietly. "I'm beginning to think that was a mistake."

Snape's features hardened. "So that's it then?" Dear Merlin, she was just another Lily- unforgiving and unbending. "You're such a hypocrite," he sneered.

"I almost died that day! Don't expect me to apologize for not being able to see past that!"

Snape froze, his indignance immediately deflating. _She had a point. It wasn't like Lily where he'd said something inexcusable in the heat of the moment. Mary had almost died._

"But I'm not the one who did that to you," Snape reminded her softly.

Mary sagged at his quiet reminder. "I know," she replied. "I'll get past it," she told him. "Just... not today."

"You're the one who told me goodness isn't inherent," Severus said, more emotion in his voice than he'd ever used since his school years with Lily. "You were the one who told me I could keep choosing to be someone different every day."

Mary met his eyes, her gaze softening. "You can, and I hope you will."

"Will it be enough?" He asked.

She hesitated.

"I have very few friends, Mary McDonald," Severus admitted, not without difficulty. "Don't make me lose another one for my foolish mistakes as a child. I already lost Lily for years."

Mary's eyes widened in surprise. Was Severus Snape actually likening her to Lily? The same Lily Evans with whom he'd been attached at the hip for the first four years of Hogwarts? The same Lily Evans he switched sides for? Surely he was exaggerating? As unbothered as she may seem, she'd thought he only tolerated her consistent presence at best. After all, he was always telling her to leave or scoffing at her commentary. Never had she imagined that he welcomed it.

"You won't lose another friend," Mary promised. "You're right. I knew about all this when I started talking to you. I just never imagined we'd be closer than casual acquaintances. I just need a little time. Give me that, at least?"

He nodded once, a small exhale of relief leaving him.


	32. Viper Strikes

**32 | VIPER STRIKES**

 **~ Potter Manor**

"For the hundredth time, James Potter," Lily yelled. "I don't care if it was just another basic drill! You could've been ambushed like the Prewetts for all we know!"

"Lily, I was fine!" The wizard rolled his eyes in exasperation.

They'd all come back to Potter Manor after their respective duties. Lily seemed so excited about all the work she, Mary, and Severus had accomplished until she realized her husband had yet to come home. Hermione did her best to keep Harry and Neville entertained, but even the kids seemed to sense the anxious air surrounding Lily.

James apparated back into the main sitting room only to have his arms immediately filled with his concerned wife. Remus and Sirius watched the scene with amusement.

"Prongs, do us all a favor and turn in your badge after the war," Sirius grinned. "I don't think Lily's heart could take anymore."

His eyes met Hermione, and they both shared a moment of amusement at the lovestruck pair. The calmness in her gaze reassured him. While he'd absolutely be willing to give up his career for a safer life if Hermione wanted so, Sirius really liked his job. James never really intended to become an Auror, but that was Sirius's goal from the beginning. The second he got into Gryffindor, he took it as a sign that he could undo the centuries of toxic patterns his ancestors had set. He would not be manipulative or bigoted. He would not stick to traditional pureblood ways. He would not laze about and rely on his wealth. He would make his mark on the world and change the view of the House of Black. And Hermione had the strength to stand by him as he did. She was no stranger to devoting her life to greater cause- it was something in which they'd both found a commonality.

"Oh!" Polly squeaked as she apparated into the room. "Guests! Dinner is ready and in the kitchen, as you asked, Miss Hermione!"

"Thank you, Polly," Hermione grinned.

As they walked down the halls together, Harry ran up to Hermione, jumping in front of her until she picked him up with a laugh. Neville was strolling contently while holding on to Remus's hand. Sirius waited for Hermione, watching his witch and godson with deep affection in his gaze.

"Look at him," Sirius pouted as Harry laid his head contently on Hermione's shoulder, watching his godfather with a mischievous grin. "You've only been here for a few months and you're already the favorite godparent."

Hermione laughed. Those words meant more to her than he would ever know. "Just wait until he gets older, he won't be able to get enough of you. I was rather a precocious friend. Or as _my_ Harry would say, I had the tendency to nag."

Sirius slipped his hand around hers, entangling their fingers. "He loved you anyway, didn't he?"

Hermione looked down at their hands, eyeing their other friends purposefully.

"What?" Sirius asked.

"They'll see!"

An amused snort escaped Sirius. "Is that a problem? I was under the impression you agreed to be my girlfriend."

"I did." Hermione fumbled with her words. "I just didn't know you were ready to announce it to the world."

Sirius raised an eyebrow, bemused. Normally girls would be pestering him for a public display of his affections- some sort of confirmation of his commitment. Yet Hermione, being the paradox she was, was surprised he was finally ready to offer that. He had no way of knowing Hermione wasn't accustomed to people who were frank and up-front about their emotions. Victor Krum may have been, but Hermione was never too invested in him. The one she'd pined over for years had an unfortunate habit of offering her backhanded compliments as an afterthought. Ron was a brilliant friend, but he really did have the emotional range of a teaspoon. Hermione didn't expect compliments or public declarations. She never had.

When Hermione tried to pull her hand away, Sirius tightened his fingers. He pulled her to a stop, going unnoticed by the others who kept walking towards the kitchen. He leaned down until his lips were at the shell of her ear. "I don't know what you were expecting, love. Of course, I want everyone to know the most brilliant witch in the room is with me- _especially_ my friends."

Hermione jerked back to look at him with widening eyes, a lovely blush blooming across her cheeks. Without giving her the chance to sputter a response, he merely pulled her along after everyone else, a small grin growing on his face.

Polly had set up a beautiful spread of dishes on the kitchen island, leaving the group to a more intimate dinner. Lily took Harry off of Hermione's hands, conjuring elevated kid's seats for him and Neville. As everyone settled onto the high stools, Hermione reached for the remaining seat next to Sirius. Her lips quirked in amusement to find a brilliant blue rose sitting on her empty plate. She glanced over to Sirius.

"A rose?" She asked with humor laced in her voice.

"Well I could hardly give you a lily," Sirius smirked.

"Oh my god," Lily groaned from across the island. "Be thankful it's _one_ flower, Hermione! Better than what this fool did to me in our seventh year," she bumped James with her shoulder.

"Oh no," Hermione grinned. "Now you've got me curious."

"He charmed a lily for Lily so whenever she tried to throw it away or burn it, it would only multiply," Remus told her, laughing at the memory.

"Mind you," Sirius broke in. "This was before James managed to win the affection of the fair lady."

"I had five dozen bloody lilies overflowing from my bag by the end of the day!" Lily exclaimed, her indignation negated by the amusement in her voice.

"It got your attention, didn't it?" James winked at his wife.

"What do you say?" Sirius leaned over to Hermione, wiggling his eyebrows comically. "Should I do the same? Do you plan on throwing away the token of my affection?"

Hermione shoved him away lightly with a laugh. "You're ridiculous," she told amusedly.

"But you like that!" Sirius gloated in a sing-song voice.

The entire table broke into chuckles. The others couldn't be happier with the way things were going between their two friends. While they'd always witnessed this playful, carefree side of Sirius, they'd never seen him share it with anyone else but them. He was a guarded man. Even with Marlene. And Hermione, though she'd never been on the receiving end of such attention, found she rather liked it. It made her feel like she was wanted- as she belonged.

Her whole life she'd felt needed. Harry and Ron needed her for their adventures- that was partially how they even became friends in their first year. Detention in the Forbidden Forest, and going through a series of challenging gates- including a three-headed dog- had a way of bonding you regardless of your compatibility. It wasn't until years later that she actually felt they enjoyed and welcomed her company. But the marauders... they had this warmth and playful affection to them that made her feel wanted. They didn't _need_ her. Not anymore now that the Horcruxes were gone. But they still wanted her.

As they finished their dinner, Sirius continued his small, affectionate gestures. He held her hand under the counter as they ate. When Lily got up to get them all drinks and James left his seat to let the boys down, Sirius got up and stood behind Hermione, his hands resting on her hips and his chin on the very top of her head. The casual but intimate embrace made her smile despite herself.

The others never even blinked an eye.

When the night dimmed, Remus bade everyone goodbye, heading back to his own flat. James and Lily excused themselves to settle Harry and Neville in for the night.

Left alone, Sirius turned Hermione on her stool until she faced him. His hands crept along her neck, tilting her head up towards him.

"Have you never been properly wooed, Hermione?" He asked softly, gazing into her eyes knowingly.

"Not really no," she responded quietly. "We grew up in a time where my friends and I didn't have much time to be kids or really explore our personal lives. Everything was always about protecting Harry and defeating Voldemort."

"You deserve to be wooed," he told her sternly.

Hermione chuckled, bumping her nose against his affectionately. "There's no need," she told him. "You already have me."

"Doesn't mean you don't need daily reminders that I still want you," Sirius smiled. "Which I do. More and more every day."

Her eyes fluttered close as they held each other, their foreheads touching as they simply savored the comfort of each other's embrace and warmth.

"Tomorrow's a big day," he sighed, finally drawing away from her. "I have to be up early to help finish securing the rest of the Order's safe houses, and I heard you have a training session with the Prewetts and Moody."

Hermione nodded. "And anyone else who wants to train for the final battle."

"I should go," he said regretfully.

Just as he moved to pull away from her, her hands grasped on to the soft wool of his sweater.

"Stay?"

Sirius looked down at her, his eyes softening. "Are you sure?"

"Just to sleep," she shrugged. "I sleep better with you, anyway."

"Me too," he admitted, pulling her off the stool and steadying her. "Let's get some rest."

 **~o~O~o~**

 **~ Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix**

Sadly the next day was even busier than she'd expected. The others all left bright and early. Sirius woke her up by accident at the brink of dawn, already dressed in his Auror's uniform. He looked absolutely breathtaking in uniform. The fitted black trousers were accompanied by an intricately designed dragonskin vest, which she had no doubt was some sort of protective layer. The entire outfit was accented by a smart black coat that flared at his hips, dropping to his knees. From the folds of the thick coat, she could see a wand holster around his thigh. He looked nothing like the rebellious teenager she'd expected of a young Sirius Black and everything like the mature, poised adult she'd known from her time.

He kissed her head, telling her to get some more sleep before he slipped out the door.

She wasn't able to stay in bed for much longer anyway as Lily needed to leave soon after to get a head start for the day's brewing. Since Hermione didn't have her training until the evening when the Aurors were free, she was left to watch after Harry and Neville once again. Not that she minded. It was actually nice to let the others handle important Order matters for a change. Thinking back to how things had been for her and her friends, she couldn't even imagine how'd they'd gotten to such a point- three kids, barely adults, on the run on their own trying to defeat one of the darkest wizards in history. This generation's Order seemed a lot more functional.

Lily got back just in time to relieve Hermione so she could go to headquarters. And she'd only missed seeing Sirius by half an hour. He went back to the Potters' place with James, but after Lily told him Hermione had already left for training, he decided to return to his own flat.

"Alright, you lot," Moody said gruffly. "Today will be more of a test period to see where everyone is with their defensive magic."

Today's group was rather small- only Hermione, Marlene, and Remus.

"Break into pairs, and begin your duels. The Prewetts will be evaluating your current skill level before we put together which weaknesses need to be addressed in future lessons."

"So how do we do this?" Hermione asked the Prewetts as Moody excused himself for a debrief with Dumbledore.

"We can rotate pairs?" Fabian suggested.

"I'm not dueling Hermione," Gideon snorted.

"Why not?" Hermione cried indignantly.

"Oh please, Moody himself talked about how advanced you'd gotten in your private training with him. I don't want to be on the receiving end of that!"

"Wimp," Fabian scoffed.

"Well good luck with her," Gideon told his twin. "If you're even alive by the end of the session."

"You won't kill me, will you?" Fabian asked Hermione in a teasing voice.

"No guarantees," Hermione told him flatly, which immediately made the grin on his face disappear.

Gideon announced he'd work with Marlene, and Fabian decided he'd work with Remus first, and then they'd see how Hermione handles a duel against both Fabian and Remus at once.

They broke off, heading to different ends of the magically lit field. Marlene assessed Gideon warily. He hadn't been happy she decided to fight, and she doubted he'd go easy on her now. They stood across from each other, bowing briefly before taking their stances.

He shot off a quick jinx, which she blocked nonverbally. She responded with a forceful stunner, which pushed him back in the grass despite his shield. Gideon's eyes narrowed on the raven-haired witch, who stood waiting for this next move in calm preparedness. He advanced forward suddenly, throwing casting two spells in rapid succession. Marlene blocked the first with ease, and fumbled to deflect the second one as quickly while she hastened backward to keep the space between them. The terse exchange of magic continued for a few minutes until it practically turned into a synchronized dance. But Gideon wasn't satisfied. Death Eaters would not have any courtesy or mercy in their engagement. They fought dirty, and they fought to win.

With a quick turn of pace, Gideon ran towards Marlene. He saw her eyes widen in surprise as she hadn't expected their duel to turn physical. She cast a quick stunner to try and force him back, but he deflected, until he tackled her to the floor. Defensive magic was hard to maneuver in such close proximity, and Marlene had never trained this way. He knew that.

"What's your next move?" He asked, his breath coming out in small pants as he held himself above her, his wand pressed to her rib. "Think fast, little one. You'd already be dead if I was a Death Eater."

Her eyes hardened and she moved quickly, the determination set in. She swung out a leg, using the momentum to push his body off. She nimbly jumped to her feet, about to reestablish the distance between them. Recovering quickly, he grabbed her hand before she could scramble away, pulling her back roughly against his chest as he stood, his wand pressing into her waist.

"Lesson two," he whispered in her ear. "Don't stop until they're down for good."

Marlene gulped, and in a quick move he hadn't anticipated, she grabbled his wand arm, twisting and pulling until she used the momentum to swing him right over her shoulder. The wind was knocked right out of him, but she didn't let up. With a quick expelliarmus, she caught his wand, keeping her own trained on him as she put a few steps between them.

"Not bad," Gideon coughed, heaving himself up. "But not good enough."

"If I'm not mistaken, you were the one on the floor a moment ago and I have your wand," Marlene pointed out.

She was breathing hard, the squirmish finally settling in now that she'd completed the exercise.

"I had you at a disadvantage at multiple points before you managed to do that," he said sternly. "If I were a real Death Eater, you'd be dead."

"Okay," Marlene admitted. "So let's go again." She threw his wand back to him.

"Marlene," Gideon sighed, his eyes pleading with her. "There's not much time before the battle, and it takes weeks if not months to develop these habits into reflexes."

She narrowed her eyes. "Then you'd best get teaching."

"There's no way to convince you otherwise?"

"You should know better," she told him. "I already said no."

He nodded reluctantly, and they continued their sparring, still not making it any easier. But to both his relief and detriment, she improved with every try. While he was glad she took up instruction well, he also knew there'd be no convincing her not to fight now.

When Moody finally returned, they were all panting from the exertion, and they'd even rotated pairs.

"How'd it go?" He asked the Prewetts.

"Good," Fabian said brightly. "They're all very skilled, I think we'll just need to run some drills to make sure their responses and reflexes are as sharp as they can be."

Marlene looked at Gideon stonily. He'd made it seem like she'd die the moment she stepped foot on a battlefield, yet his twin seemed to think she'd be alright. He raised an eyebrow unconcerned, daring her to protest.

"McKinnon, you're wanted in Dumbledore's office tomorrow morning," Moody told her. "I think they have new information. And Lupin, you finished the last of the wards with Potter and Black today, right?"

Remus nodded. "Every last one- all sixteen of them."

Hermione felt a sudden, unexplainable spike of fear- almost panic. She frowned, her hand coming up to clutch her chest discretely.

"Good, I'll have a different assignment for tomorrow. You lot might be split up for-"

They were all surprised into silence when a fast, swirling ball of light shot into the yard, slowly taking the form of a Patronus. Hermione felt her stomach sink when the Patronus took the form of a familiar large dog. She felt Remus tense beside her.

 _"My flat's been breached- send back-up."_

Hermione could feel the fear intensify and she could no longer distinguish whether it was her own or Sirius's.

"Was that Black?" Gideon asked urgently.

Moody nodded to the Prewetts. "Let's go," he commanded.

"I'm coming too," Hermione insisted.

"NO." Moody said sternly. "Not this time. We don't know what we're up against."

Hermione bristled. "All the more reason-"

"Hermione, we'll bring him back," Fabian promised firmly. "We don't know what they're after and we can't risk you getting caught with everything you know."

"I can fight!"

"It's not about if you can fight!" Moody roared. "It's about if you get captured! You're not trained to withstand interrogation!"

Her nose flared. She'd been tortured by Bellatrix herself, and she'd managed to keep all her secrets. How _dare_ they!

"Hermione, just let them go," Remus told her urgently. "We're wasting time."

Hermione bit her lip, fuming as the Aurors disapparated.

"I don't know if he's hurt, Remus!" Hermione cried, frustrated. "I can feel his fear, but I don't know if there's any pain! When have you known Sirius Black to be scared?"

Remus gulped. "They'll bring him back."

"You felt his fear?" A small voice interrupted them.

Remus and Hermione turned, freezing at the sight of a paled and concerned Marlene.

"It's complicated, Marlene," Remus said hesitantly.

But the damage had been done. Marlene studied Hermione sharply. She never knew the new witch was that close with Sirius- if anything Sirius never seemed to favor her when Marlene had been in the picture. But a lot of time had passed since they'd last talked, and Merlin knew it would be exactly like Sirius Black to move on so quickly. Still, it felt disappointing.

"And not the time," Hermione said tiredly.

"Oh right, none of my business," she backtracked with a shrug.

The following moments were tense and stretched to eternity, though it couldn't have been longer than fifteen minutes. Hermione was just about ready to go after them despite what they'd told her when a loud crack split through the air. The Prewetts carried a barely conscious Sirius between them, letting him down gently to the floor. There was a slowly blooming spot of thick, sticky blood near his ribs.

"What happened?" Hermione cried, immediately dropping to her knees.

"Ambush," Gideon grunted. "There were too many of them."

"Why didn't you just leave, Sirius? You should've disapparated the moment you realized!"

He winced, glancing up at Hermione through hazy vision. "I had copies of important documents in my flat- I had to make sure to destroy them first."

Hermione froze. "So your flat-"

"Incinerated," Fabian finished.

Hermione pulled up his shirt, trying to heal the cut that kept oozing blood at a dangerously quick rate. But nothing she tried would work.

"Why won't it heal?" Hermione cried in frustration.

The others watched with tense horror. Remus went to Sirius's other side, trying similar spells and still producing no results.

"We need potions. And dittany," Remus said.

"LILY!" Hermione cried. "We have to take him to Lily."

With a sharp crack, Hermione had swept Sirius away. The others all stared at the empty spot they occupied in astonishment before Remus caught hold of his senses, disapparating after them.

Moody, Marlene, and the Prewetts remained, staring at each other.

"Well?" Marlene asked. "Let's go after them!"

Fabian grimaced. "None of us know the location of the Potters' safe house. It's under the Fidelius Charm."

 **~o~O~o~**

 **Whoops, sorry to end the chapter this way, but otherwise it'd get MUCH too long. Things are heating up now, though. Are you excited? I certainly am!**


	33. Irrevocably Bound

***Rated M chapter. Read at your own discretion.**

̶̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ༓ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶̶

 **33 | IRREVOCABLY BOUND**

Hermione apparated Sirius directly to her room, immediately summoning her old stash of supplies from when she'd been on the run. Unstoppering her little vial of dittany with trembling hands, she drizzled the serum over his ribs.

But the bleeding wouldn't stop.

"Don't close your eyes," Hermione commanded in a panicked voice. "Don't you dare leave me now, Sirius Black!"

Hermione barely heard as footsteps echoed along the hall before the remaining occupants surged into the room, led none other than Remus.

"Sirius," Lily gasped, flying to the other side of Hermione's bed. "What happened?"

"We don't know what spell was used," Remus recounted quickly. "But his flat was ambushed, probably as retaliation for our attack on Nott Estate."

"I already tried dittany, and it didn't do anything," Hermione said shakily.

Lily summoned her potions chest, which crashed through the slightly ajar door, nearly bulldozing over James on it's path to the frenzied witch. She retrieved a handful of medicines, tipping them one after another straight down Sirius's throat.

The wizard was conscious enough to swallow weakly, but his breathing became more and more haggard, and the potions didn't appear to have any effect on him.

"Why can't I save him?" Hermione muttered to herself. "It's like Harry and Ron all over again."

"Hermione, this is not your fault," Remus told her, his hand resting on her shoulder reassuringly.

"Wait-" Hermione's eyes widened in hope. " _Harry."_

"What?" Lily asked blankly.

Without waiting to explain, Hermione pulled out her wand, digging deep to find the swirling remnants of Harry's magic. Like an old friend coming to say hello, the dynamic presence flared under her attention. She was aware that with every passing second, her awareness of Sirius's emotions faded even as she summoned Harry's magic to the surface. She'd never consciously tried using the extra magic that seemed to exist within her, and the only time she could remember Harry's magic rising to the surface was when she helped rescue the Prewetts and had to break through the anti-apparition wards. But even then- it had been a survival instinct, not a conscious decision.

Slowly, she began murmuring a healing incantation she'd learned from Madam Pomfrey, urging Harry's magic as well as her own into the spellwork. For a brief moment, it seemed to work; a soft golden light emanated from Sirius's wound, the excess of spilled blood siphoning back into his body. But very quickly, Hermione could feel a wall come against her magic, or more specifically hers and Harry's. Their combined magic was raw and powerful, gushing within her like an uncontrollable waterfall. But her wand was only able to handle so much power.

Sirius was slightly more alert now, no longer teetering on the brink of unconsciousness. But his complexion was still pale from the blood loss, and his pulse was still weak. It wasn't enough.

"Hermione," she could hear a concerned voice call warningly. Was it Remus? Or maybe James? Honestly, it sounded a whole lot like her Harry.

Forcing the magic forward desperately, she tried to continue healing Sirius. She felt the second she'd pushed too far. Her breath caught in her throat for one horrifying moment before a loud crack filled the room. In her hand, her wand splintered, the vinewood cracking and bending until the rift gave off fiery embers of resistance.

Hermione's efforts stuttered to a halt as she looked down at her wand, now barely in one piece.

"Hermione," Lily spoke sadly. "You're pushing yourself too hard."

"It's still not enough," she whispered brokenly. "What about Sirius?"

"We'll do the best we can," Lily promised. "Hopefully, he'll make it through the night. He's been through worse, remember?"

"But we can't even get the wound to stop bleeding, Lily!" Hermione burst out. "He survived last time because he was healed, but we don't know how to fix this!

"I'm stronger than you think," he rasped hoarsely from the bed, drawing all their concerned gazes. "I'll make it through."

"It's not the same," Hermione insisted. "Your injuries last time were a portion of the intended curse, and you only had it because you absorbed it from me-" She froze, her eyes widening in realization.

"What?" Lily asked urgently.

"We need to complete the bond to heal him," Hermione told them. "Now."

"What? I thought it was dangerous to complete?" Lily asked hesitantly, looking to James.

"I'll be fine, I swear!" Hermione cried. "I don't know how to explain it, but I have a lot of powerful magic right now- from both me and Harry. But my wand isn't strong enough to be a conduit for it. That's why it cracked. If we were bonded, my magic could heal him directly from the nature of the blood bond- I _know_ it."

"I don't even know how the spellwork for the bond works," Lily admitted helplessly.

"But I do," James spoke quietly. He sighed, running his hands through his hair. "Most pureblood families still pass down that information even though there are few written records of it left."

"Bind us," Hermione said firmly.

"Don't you dare," Sirius gasped from the bed, looking to his best mate in a stern demand.

"Do it."

Hermione held James's eyes unflinchingly. The wizard who so resembled her best friend looked between her and Sirius uncertainly. But regardless of what they each wanted, the truth was very clearly laid before him. Sirius would not make it through the night- not like this. Hermione knew that. She was also convinced she could heal him with the bond.

He'd doubted her once, and he ended up regretting that decision more than he could ever articulate. James knew losing Sirius was not something he could ever recover from. Nor did he want Harry to lose his godfather.

"James," Hermione instructed calmly. "Do it. Now."

James Potter raised his wand between the two of them. "You know the vows?" He asked Hermione. She nodded briefly.

"You tosser, don't do it," Sirius struggled to sit, only wheezing from the exertion instead. "It'll kill us both- is that what you want?"

Hermione swiftly used one of the shards of wood from her wand to scrape a thin cut into her palm, and she placed her hand directly onto Sirius's ribs.

"Hermione, don't," Sirius begged, trying to dislodge her hand.

James waved his wand, murmuring under his breath. Lily stepped off the bed as she saw a thin golden loop wind around Sirius and Hermione. She watched in awe as the loop glowed and burned around the pair.

"Sanguis sanguinem..." Hermione began the incantation without hesitation. The golden loop cinched around them, tightening as she spoke her vows. With every additional word, she could feel the weight of her vows grounding her like a physical anchor. Sirius's protests stopped as he felt Hermione's very being reach out to him with open arms, pulling him into the warmth of her magic. He could feel the healing magic wash over him like a flood over a fire, watching in awe as the remaining blood pooled around him siphoned back into him as if it'd never happened.

"Oh my," Lily whispered in awe, reaching for her husband. Never in all her years in the magical world had she seen magic so raw and pure. It seemed ironic that this was supposedly a dark spell because everything about this seemed to be light.

James pulled Lily into his protective embrace, and the couple and Remus watched in reverence as a bright golden light radiated from their friends. It was different from the brief flash of blue light when Sirius had completed the first half of the bonding.

"Est vita tua..." Hermione finished with a hushed whisper.

There was a moment of bated silence in the room before a blinding wave of pure energy expelled from the pair, the force blowing through Remus, Lily, and James like a strong wind. The accompanying flash of brilliant golden light obscured all their vision before fading slowly.

"Woah..." Lily clutched onto her husband, trembling as she felt the wave of energy move through them, raw, and powerful.

Sirius and Hermione remained in their exact spots on the bed, Hermione's hand still on Sirius's ribs. Their breaths came out in labored huffs, both staring at the other in astonishment. Hermione finally pulled her hand back from Sirius, moving her fingers experimentally.

"Sirius, are you all right?" Remus finally broke the silence.

His eyes did not leave Hermione's. "Give us a minute, Remus," Sirius said quietly but intensely.

Lily looked between the pair torn. Hermione was now fidgeting with her hands, unable to glance away from Sirius's snaring gaze that held her captive.

"NOW." His uncharacteristically stern tone left no room for argument.

James quickly escorted them out of Hermione's room. Before closing the door, he glanced back at the pair one last time. "Try not to kill each other after all that effort, yeah?" He tried to tease, his voice falling on deaf ears.

"Are you sure you feel alright?" Hermione asked carefully. "Is it fully healed?"

Sirius merely stared at her wordlessly, his eyes intense and unforgiving.

Swinging his legs off the bed in one fluid movement that left no doubt in her mind that he was fully healed, he rose to his feet. Hermione immediately stood, putting space between them cautiously. Sirius's eyes narrowed at the movement.

"You could have killed us," he said quietly, advancing on her with targeted surety.

"I knew I wouldn't," she stepped back further. She didn't know why she was trying to put distance between them. Perhaps it was the bizarre tempest of emotions swirling underneath her own that she knew was directed from a _furious_ Sirius Black.

"But what if you did?" Sirius continued forward, cornering her back up to the wall.

"You were dying anyway," she whispered helplessly.

Sirius's eyes darkened in frustration, and then he was on her before she even had the chance to react. He pushed her back firmly, her shoulders meeting the wall behind her with a dull thud. She tried to push herself off, but Sirius held her hips tightly as he stepped close, crowding her.

" _Exactly,"_ he ground out in frustration. "I was dying anyway, so what good would it do either of us for you to die too?"

"I failed the people I loved once," Hermione choked out. "You were dying right in front of me, exactly like last time. I couldn't do it again- not when I actually had the power to fix it."

Sirius rested his forehead against hers, feeling the depth of her aching fear as surely as if it were his own.

"This wasn't supposed to be how we bonded," Sirius said regretfully. "You were supposed to be able to choose when you wanted this. Sometime after the war, when you're not constantly afraid for your own life or mine. You were supposed to have a choice."

Hermione's palm crept along his jaw, forcing him to meet her eyes. "I did choose," she insisted firmly. " _This_ was my choice. Even if you weren't dying, I'd make the same choice every time."

Sirius cinched his arm around her waist, pulling her up against his torso. "Be very sure this is what you want, little witch," he whispered heatedly. "I wanted you to have the chance to live your life without the impending threat of war before you decided what you truly wanted. Even now," Sirius choked out. "I know you completed the bond to save me, so even now, I would step back if you wanted it."

Hermione felt a swell of affection, admiration, and dare she think- love? The man before her was a soothing balm to her neurotic ways, just the right combination of teasing rouge and selfless man. She'd considered numerous times that she might just be throwing herself headfirst into Sirius in an attempt to belong- but that seemed to be a gross underrepresentation of what he was to her. She thought she loved Ron, but that childhood crush was never quite the deep love she'd thought it was. Their friendship was deep- definitely. But Sirius challenged her without insulting her, he tempted her to relax and have fun and enjoy life, and he'd been selflessly protective nearly every step of the way.

She couldn't help the small, disbelieving laugh that escaped her. She tugged Sirius down, catching his lips in a pleading kiss. She knew he wanted to give her space and time to make her choices, but she didn't want any more space or time.

She just wanted him.

"Does that answer your question?" She spoke against his lips, a small smile playing on her lips.

A low growl left Sirius's throat before he sealed his lips over hers firmly, his hands finding her legs as he lifted her easily against him. Hermione wrapped her legs around his narrow waist as he pushed her into the wall, both of them groaning when his iron-hard erection ground into her heated pelvis.

He took her mouth selfishly with a clash of teeth nipping at her lips. "Promise me you won't risk your life like that again- not for me." He breathed against her mouth.

"You know I won't," she insisted stubbornly.

His mouth was back on hers, hard and punishing. "Bloody, stubborn witch," he growled, emphasizing each word with a hard peck.

"You're stuck with her, I'm afraid," she warned him.

"Thank Merlin," Sirius groaned, pulling her off the wall before walking them to the bed, depositing her over the soft blankets.

Their hands moved in a flurry, divesting each other of their clothes before Sirius was pressing into her.

"Sirius," she stopped him lightly. He paused, looking down at her curiously. "I love you. You don't have to let go again."

He groaned, his head dropping to her neck as he sank into her. "You terrify me," he breathed against her skin.

"W-why?" She stuttered, overwhelmed from the sensation of accommodating to him.

"Because you've come to mean everything to me in such a short amount of time," he admitted. His eyes met hers as he began to move, her breath stolen from her by the vulnerability she saw in those pewter orbs. "Don't ever make me lose you. I don't think I could live with it."

"I won't," she swore, gathering him close.

̶̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ༓ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶̶

 **A/N**

 **If you love the marauders, and the Prewett twins, and a healthy dose of Death Eater redemption...  
Please please please go check out my other story 'Hiraeth'!  
I promise you won't be disappointed!**


	34. I Open at the Close

***Rated M for explicit sexual content towards the end of the chapter- read at your own discretion!**

 **̶̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ・ ༓ ・ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶̶**

 **34 | I OPEN AT THE CLOSE**

 **\- POTTER MANOR**

Sirius woke the next morning to find the spot beside him on the bed empty and cold. He groaned, sitting up on the edge of the bed with a great heave. Looking down, his fingers ghosted over his ribs where he'd been hit with a hex the night before- though curse would be a better word for it. Nothing was remaining- no pain, no scar, no trace.

"You're up," a relieved voice filtered through his thoughts.

He looked up, an automatic smile climbing his face. Hermione stood at the door, fully dressed. Knowing her, she'd likely been up for a while now.

"How are you feeling?" She asked in concern, walking over to him, her eyes hovering over his unblemished torso.

Sirius wrapped his long fingers around her wrist, smoothly pulling her onto his lap, savoring the warmth of her entire back molded to his front. He tucked chin on to her shoulder peacefully. "Better than I have in ages," he admitted. The completion of their bond had not only healed his injuries, but they'd also reenergized him in ways he hadn't even realized he needed. His old wounds no longer ached, and his mind felt blissfully at peace.

"Do you feel it too?" Hermione asked quietly, relaxing back against him without a fight.

He knew instantly what she was talking about. Since the moment they'd completed the bond, he'd felt his normal state of existence heighten sharply- his magic was more active and more easily at his disposal than ever before, like it could burst through his fingertips at the slightest command. He could also feel Hermione as a distant but comforting extension to himself, awareness of her life and breath bringing him a visceral relief.

"Hmm..." He nodded, his arms tightening around her waist.

"It's like a warm blanket in the winter," she whispered softly, her fingertips dancing over his hands. "Or a cool breeze in the summer."

That immediate sense of comfort and relief that made you lower your guard.

"It feels like home," Sirius told her.

He could feel Hermione tense in his arms before she all but melted into his embrace.

"I didn't think I'd find a home here," Hermione admitted quietly. "I didn't think it'd be possible."

"You have more of a home than I ever did," he told her. His disheartening words prompted her to look back at him curiously.

"What do you mean?" Hermione's eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"I haven't had homes as much as I've had shelters in my life," Sirius sighed. "Grimmauld was never home- it was my own personal hell. Hogwarts was a sanctuary if anything- but still a school. Even my flat now is more a functional place for me to sleep and exist than a home, or at least it was before it was set alight."

"But your friends," Hermione turned in his embrace, touching one hand to his cheek as her heart went out to him. "Your friends are your family."

"They are," Sirius smiled, his affection for his friends unmistakable. "The year I lived with the Potters was the only time I would say I had a home. But when James's parents died, he eventually married and moved in with Lily. It just left me on my own, you know?"

Hermione brushed her thumb across his lip in contemplation before she voiced the thought she might've been too afraid to even a few weeks ago. "I'll be your home," she offered quietly. "If you'll be mine."

Hermione could feel the ripple pass through his body as he gathered her close, his hands resting comfortably on her waist and thigh. The warmth of his bare torso seeped through her cashmere sweater. She was captivated by his iridescent grey gaze watching her with every emotion swimming under the stormy control he practiced.

"That's all I've ever wanted," he whispered against her cheek, his forehead brushing against her temple as he savored her touch. "A home."

They sat like that for a many blissfully peaceful minutes, stroking and brushing against each other like two cats.

"I should go tell the other Aurors I'm still alive," he groaned despite burrowing his head even deeper into her neck.

"Remus already went back to tell them last night," she assured him, carding her fingers through his impossibly thick and silky hair. "After he saw the bond healed you."

Sirius finally pulled back, his eyes clouding over in heavy contemplation. "I still wish you hadn't taken such a risk," he told her firmly. "You had no idea of knowing whether it could kill you."

"It wouldn't have," she insisted. "With Harry's magic on top of my own, I knew I had enough energy to overcome whatever sacrifice it would've taken to heal you."

"That's not the point- I do not doubt your magic," Sirius growled in frustration. "The Coniunctus Ritual is about magical balance. If we weren't balanced enough, it would've killed you."

"I knew we were balanced," Hermione insisted again. "You already survived your end of the bonding, _and_ you healed me with the bond when I was on the brink of death and _still_ recovered. You'd already proven your magic could handle sustaining both yourself and me. If I wasn't enough of a match before, Harry's added magic definitely made sure I could sustain you the same way if we completed the bond."

"But so many people have died in the past from trying to complete it," Sirius argued in confusion.

"LIkely because they were ill-matched and were simply trying to get the magical benefits," Hermione waved off. "I doubt most of them thought about the sacrifice it takes to willingly share your magic to sustain someone else like that. That was what killed them. Magical balance is very intuned with your own personal intention. If the ritual is meant to strengthen two people in their collective survival and devotion to each other, I doubt power-hungry people would be able to complete it successfully."

Sirius huffed. "You really have thought of everything, haven't you?"

"Get used to it," Hermione laughed. "It's a hazard from watching over your godson for half my life."

"Your godson, too," he pointed out.

Hermione paused with a small smile. "That he is. They might be the same person, but for some reason, the Harry I remember is just distinctly different from baby Harry."

Sirius squeezed her hand comfortingly. He would never completely understand, but he could imagine how difficult it must be for her to reconcile her past with this past- two mutually exclusive timelines that would never again cross paths.

"Let's go down to the kitchens to get some food," Sirius chirped. "Can you apparate us? It's so far."

He'd already turned to pull on a shirt and would've missed the way Hermione winced. But through their innate connection, he could feel the internal wince as surely as if he'd seen it.

"What is it?" He asked her immediately.

"Nothing," she recovered quickly. "But honestly, how lazy are you? It'll be good for you to stretch your legs."

"It's literally in the furthest corner of this manor from here," Sirius rolled his eyes.

He couldn't shake the sensation of discomfort lodged in his chest. It was a subtle tightening that made it hard for him to draw his next breath.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" He stood in front of her, drawing her chin up to inspect her.

"Nothing."

"You forget we're literally connected now," he reminded her dryly. "You'll have to do a lot better than that if you're going to lie to me."

She sighed deeply, looking up at him sheepishly. "It's just... I can't really apparate us anywhere right now, even if I wanted to."

"Why not?"

"You probably don't remember, I mean, you were barely conscious at the time, after all," she rambled.

"Hermione." He warned.

"I broke my wand." She blurted out. "The bond was a last resort because I knew you didn't want me to do it. I tried healing you first, but when I used Harry's magic in addition to mine, my wand just splintered under the pressure."

Sirius's eyes widened in surprise. _Could wands even do that?_

"I'll go replace it later," Hermione continued on. "But for now, I can only do basic wandless magic, nothing too intricate."

Sirius finally pulled his words together, his eyes setting in determination. "You're not spending another minute wandless."

"But-"

"We're going right now," Sirius insisted. "It's not safe for you to be without a wand. You're muggleborn, so I assume your first wand was from Ollivander's?"

Hermione nodded, amused, and slightly pleased by the initiative he took. She hadn't wanted to bother him about it, and she'd assumed she'd eventually go later.

"There might be a chance we can still get you your original wand if he's made it by now," he winked.

She brightened at the prospect, taking his hand eagerly when he'd finally dressed and picked up his own wand. Being without her wand made her feel terribly exposed- it wasn't a feeling she enjoyed.

 **̶̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ・ ༓ ・ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶̶**

 **\- OLLIVANDER'S WAND SHOP**

"What was your previous wand, Miss Dumbledore?" Ollivander asked her curiously when she'd told him she required a replacement for her broken one.

"Vinewood with Dragon Heartstring."

The old wizard's eyes widened in brief surprise before he turned, heading into his stacks. "Lucky for you, young lady," he called as he assessed numerous boxes. She had absolutely no clue how he managed to keep track of each individual wand in the piles of boxes. He reemerged, victoriously opening a relatively clean, non-dusty case. "I recently finished a wand with those specifications just last month."

He plucked the beautifully ornate wooden stick from its velvet case, holding it out for her. Hermione gasped slightly as she viewed her wand- the exact same one she'd gotten from him when she was eleven years old. She wrapped her fingers around it reverently, expecting the typical sensation of calm and safety to wash over her. Yet, the wand in her hand stayed hopelessly inanimate, the coldness of the wood making her mouth feel like ash.

"Well, give it a wave," Ollivander prompted her.

Snapping out of her reverie, Hermione pointed her wand up. "Lumos."

Everyone in the shop grimaced as a blinding light flashed through the room violently before she yelled out, "NOX."

"No, no, definitely not," Ollivander rebuked sternly.

Hermione felt her heart plummet. But this was _her_ wand, how could it possibly not be for her. It chose her when she was but a little girl.

"Perhaps something with more flexibility," Ollivander murmured, neatly plucking her childhood relic from her hands. "Your magic is far too strong for this one, it won't hold up."

He paused, turning to her with contemplative eyes. "I wonder..." he murmured, abruptly turning and heading back into the stacks.

She could feel an overwhelming sense of hopelessness steal her thoughts before a warm hand snaked around her waist to rest on her stomach, pulling her out of the drowning sensation. Sirius tugged her back against his chest, anchoring her.

"Are you alright?"

"I don't understand," Hermione responded with a squeak. "That was _my_ wand, why didn't it respond to me?"

"Love, you got that wand when you were a little girl- when you'd just discovered magic. It had the chance to grow with you as you bloomed into your potential," he reminded her. "A lot has changed. Your wand didn't splinter for no reason, perhaps you need a different one."

She realized the logic in everything Sirius was telling her, and yet the words brought no comfort. Ollivander emerged from the back of the shop with a much older box, offering it to her carefully. She opened the lid curiously, her heart stuttering to a stop as she saw the wand inside.

 _Harry's wand._

"Go on," Ollivander prompted.

With careful fingers, she scooped the wand out of its velvet lining. Before she could even try a spell, she felt Harry's magic gushing forward in recognition of his old wand. A powerful gust of wind swirled through the room, the lights flickering in response.

"Curious..." Ollivander murmured.

"T-this can't possibly be my wand," Hermione insisted, trying to hand it back to him.

The old wizard merely studied her in amusement. "The wand chooses the wizard, Miss Dumbledore. And this one has in no uncertain terms chosen you."

When Hermione felt the panic swell, Sirius's hand tightened around her hip.

"It is curious, though," Ollivander pondered aloud again.

"What's curious?" Hermione asked absently.

"The core of that wand is a phoenix feather," he told her. "It is curious because the phoenix that gave that feather is none other than your uncle's familiar."

"Fawkes?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"You're familiar with him," Ollivander smiled. "I suppose some things are truly just destined. I'm awed that the feather gave its loyalty to you."

Hermione remained stumped, staring at the wand in her hand in shock. Sirius thanked Ollivander, buying her time to process. He proceeded to pay for the wand before he led them out of the shop, his hand an everpresent stabilizer along her lower back. She barely realized as he led them to a nearby bench, guiding her to sit.

"What's wrong?"

Hermione looked up to see Sirius on one knee in front of her, peering up at her in concern.

"This is Harry's wand," she managed to choke out.

Sirius's eyes widened at the revelation. "Well, it makes sense," he told her calmly.

"Sense?" Hermione cried. "In what world does this make sense?"

"You have part of Harry's magic in you," he reminded her gently. "The Harry who grew up without parents or me or magic. The same Harry who this wand originally chose. Besides, I think your new wand should have a phoenix core. After all, you've risen from the ashes of your past world into this new life. It's quite symbolic."

Hermione remained quiet as one part of Sirius's words rammed into her with the force of a Hippogriff. She had Harry's magic! But she still knew something the others had no idea of. Harry's wand had a twin- a different wand that had gone to Voldemort himself.

Destiny, indeed.

It couldn't be a coincidence that this wand had chosen her when Harry's magic was in her. The connection between Harry and Voldemort had always concerned her deeply, especially after their wands connected during their escape from Privet Drive during the seventh year.

"If you're worried you're taking baby Harry's future wand, then don't." Sirius's voice beckoned her back to the present like an echoing voice at the end of a tunnel. "Harry now is going to grow up very differently than the Harry you knew. The same wand likely wouldn't have chosen him anyway."

"You're right," she whispered, finally meeting his eyes. It wouldn't choose him because baby Harry was not connected to Voldemort as originally destined. Instead, it had chosen _her._

 **̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ・ ༓ ・ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶̶**

 **\- POTTER MANOR**

Hermione was grateful for the respite when Sirius had to meet with Moody and the Prewetts regarding the ambush in his flat. It gave her the needed silence to pick apart everything she knew to try and piece together the consequences of this connection.

Nothing was a coincidence.

She knew for a fact her Harry and Voldemort were connected in some way. Harry could see into Voldemort's mind. He could speak parseltongue. Their wands shared the same core and chose the two of them regardless of the near half-century age difference.

She recalled everything they'd been instructed to do by Dumbledore. Destroy the seven Horcruxes. They did that, hadn't they? Only there were only five Horcruxes. The diary, the ring, the locket, the cup, and the diadem. In her time, they would've also needed to kill Nagini, but Voldemort hadn't even turned her into a Horcrux yet. Yet, that left one piece of the puzzle missing. Was there a seventh Horcrux he managed to make before Nagini? What could it possibly be?

The fog lifted from her mind as the realization plummeted into her.

Harry's connection to Voldemort. Their wands connecting. Their prophesized link that followed Harry years after the murder of his parents.

Harry was a Horcrux. A living, breathing Horcrux.

Everything of their seven years together finally made sense. Harry's ability to speak to snakes. His mood swings in the fifth year- his inexplicable anger. It all fit. Even Dumbledore's cryptic message on Harry's first-ever snitch made sense.

 _I open at the close._

It was all a loop. History was doomed to repeat for the boy who couldn't catch a break. He was meant to die in order to make Voldemort mortal. Except now she was the last remanent of her Harry- the one who still carried that link to the Dark Lord. Baby Harry was untouched by the dark fate, as was Neville, who'd been miraculously absent when his entire family was targeted.

So she had to die? But merely dying wouldn't kill a Horcrux, they already knew that. She'd have to either perish in Fiendfyre or drink Basilisk venom. Neither seemed like humane options, but she knew which one of those two fates she'd prefer.

"Hermione?"

Her head snapped up to the intruding voice. Sirius leaned in the doorway to her room as he watched her with a small smile.

"Dinner's ready," he told her, offering her a hand to pull her off the bed.

Sirius. How could she forget? They were bonded now.

He led her down the stairs, his thumb running circles along the back of her hand in familiarity. They sat through dinner with the Potters and the kids, and all the while, Hermione was still lost in her own thoughts.

She had to finish Voldemort. She'd promised Harry! It was his dying wish.

Sirius would be an issue- after all, she didn't want him to die as well. But from what she could remember of the text on this particular blood bond, a completed bond was not a forced sharing of life force. While it had been warped to be used as a marriage vow when done one-sidedly, in the older times, it was a pact between fellow warriors and duelists. It was a pact to share life forces to help heal each other by will. It was a means to build a collective strength between two partners. Not to mention, when casting in tandem, a bonded pair could produce unparalleled powerful magic.

The aura of the entire room was rather dense, with Sirius filling James in on how they were handling the attack. In the tense discussion, no one seemed to find Hermione's uncharacteristic silence odd.

But with that space, watching the people she'd come to care for so dearly, she knew what she'd have to do. She'd fight the final battle. With her and Sirius fighting together, they'd have much better chances against the superior scale of Death Eaters. But after- once she was sure everything was settled, she'd have to take care of this one dooming loophole of time. She'd need enough time to master their bond- to learn how to block Sirius's life force when she's about to kill Voldemort's final Horcrux. It was hypothetically possible since she now had much more authority over the use of a completed bond. But it would take practice. There was no room for error. Perhaps she could find a way to acquire Basilisk venom within that time. She'd much prefer that to a painful death by Fiendfyre or trying to go meet her fate at the hands of the real-life Basilisk asleep within Hogwarts.

"You okay?" Sirius asked her with soft concern.

Lost in her thoughts, Hermione had barely noticed that they'd arrived all the way back at her room. Her body had run on auto-pilot the entire time.

She stared at Sirius blankly, her voice heavy in her throat as she found herself unable to speak. She had to die. There was no other way. All the Horcruxes had to die. The cautiously hopeful future she'd begun to imagine for herself with the wizard standing before her was burning to ash in front of her eyes. The cruel destiny of time travel finally caught up with her. She'd wondered why she was the only one to survive from her timeline. Now she knew.

She wasn't meant to survive.

She'd merely had a little longer before her clock stopped ticking.

"I just wanted to walk you back to your room," Sirius rushed out reassuringly. "I'm staying at Potter Manor for the time being since my flat is... ya know. But I can always go find another guest room- it's not like I expect-"

Hermione's hands clenched around Sirius's shirt as she jerked him forward, her lips clashing with his desperately. She poured her heart and soul out into it. Into him. She nipped, stroked, and caressed, trying to commit him to memory.

Sirius stumbled in surprise when Hermione drew her against him with a force he hadn't anticipated. Her mouth was frantic on his, her arms trying to pull him closer and closer. He teetered forward as she pulled his head down, inadvertently pushing her back against the closed door of her bedroom with a soft thud. It didn't take him long to respond, his hands twisting into her hair as he returned her kiss with just as much fervor.

But it didn't take long before something new intruded upon the edges of his consciousness. It felt overwhelming and made him want to sob. It felt like grief. But it certainly wasn't his.

"Hermione," he mumbled, tearing his lips away from hers.

It didn't deter her. Hermione's hot mouth followed a trail down his neck, her hands already making quick work of the buttons on his shirt.

"Hermione," he repeated more sternly, catching her smaller hands in one of his own.

She buried her head in his collar, drawing a deep groan from Sirius as she bit down on the tendon along the side of his neck.

"Hermione," he hissed, jerking her back with a sharp tug on her hair.

She gasped as she was forced to meet his stormy eyes.

"What in Merlin's name is going on?"

"I just want you," she stammered, trying to free her hands.

Sirius's eyes darkened in displeasure as he forced her back against the wood of the door, purposely this time. "STOP trying to lie to me. Did you forget I can feel you?"

Hermione's eyes flew between his wildly. He could feel the general gist of her emotions, which right now was essentially a typhoon of fear, despair, and anxiety. She couldn't brush it aside as she'd intended. She'd need a more believable excuse.

"I'm scared," she admitted honestly. "Terrified."

"Of what?" He probed, his hand still twisted in her hair unrelentingly, forcing her to keep his gaze.

"You almost died yesterday," she whispered. It wasn't a complete lie. She _was_ terrified about what had almost happened. "I was so close to losing you- to losing the future I finally dared to dream about.

Sirius's penetrating gaze finally softened, as did the sharp grip he had on her hair. "I'm sorry, I didn't think the debrief over dinner would have you so shaken," he apologized sincerely.

"Just let me feel you," she begged, her eyes fluttering closed. "Let me be with you."

Sirius stared at her hungrily before swooping down to take her lips soulfully. Hualing her into his arms, he lifted her straight off the floor. He kicked the door open to walk her over to the bed, laying her at the center before moving atop her. But where he tried to keep his kisses sincere and loving, Hermione's touches were urgent and desperate. Where he tried to soften his touches, hers dug into him, urging him on.

Sirius had consciously pushed aside his roguish tendencies when he decided to get serious about Hermione, knowing she deserved for him to win her affections honorably. But by Godric, he was no saint. Hermione's hand disappeared into his trousers after divesting him of his belt, squeezing him without preamble. Sirius's breath stuttered as his hips jerked into her grip. The witch was driving him crazy- as if she were prancing through every last thread of tautly held control he had and snipping them loose one by one. He didn't know if she was truly prepared for what she'd unleash.

"Let go," Hermione growled against his jaw. "I don't need patience right now. I want you as you are- with everything you have."

"I don't think you know what you're asking, love," Sirius hissed warningly as she tightened her fingers around him with a sharp tug.

"I _need_ to feel you alive."

Her words snapped the last remaining thread, and Sirius growled low in his throat. If she was begging to have him as he was, by gods, he would show her what she was in for. His hand encircled her wrist tightly, prompting her to release him. He dragged both arms over her head, holding them down with his own as he leaned over her.

"I told you to be careful about what you wished for, love," he purred in her ear before nipping down her neck.

Hermione strained up against him, seeking as much contact as possible. Gathering her wrists up in one hand, he swiftly whipped her sweater off. He released her briefly to drag her pants off. When she attempted to sit up and reach for him, he pushed her down instantly with a palm against her stomach.

"Sirius," she protested, the breath knocked out of her.

"No," he bit out firmly. "You wanted to feel me," he nosed his way up the plane of her stomach, pausing between the valley of her breasts. "Now, you get to feel how completely my feelings for you overwhelm me on a daily fucking basis." She gasped, arching up when his mouth enclosed one breast. The heat of his tongue making her shiver seconds before he rolled the soft flesh between his teeth, drawing a sharp whimper from her.

His hands were everywhere all at once- twisting into her hair as he tugged her head back to expose her neck to his feasting lips, traveling along her inner thigh as he pushed his way between them, and finally sliding up her arms as he pulled them up over her head.

He rose up over her, his face but a breath away from hers. Instead of kissing her like he usually would, turbulent eyes watched her as he thrust into her with one fell push. Hermione's mouth opened in a sharp inhale as her eyes went unfocused. He didn't say anything but set a punishing pace for them both. And she was helpless to tear her gaze away, held captive by the intensity his eyes bore into her, pinning her in place as much as his body did. Pounding away with long, deep strokes, he soon felt Hermione begin to flutter and pulse around him, relishing in the ever-quickening gasps and whimpers escaping her. Her arms strained against his unyielding hold as she felt herself climbing a peak frighteningly fast. Truth be told, the knowledge he could do that to her only spurred Sirius on.

Her body tensed suddenly under his as she abruptly strained against him. "Sirius!" she cried out with a tearful plea as her eyes screwed shut at the waves of pleasure that rolling through her so roughly she could scarcely breathe. He slowed down ever so slightly, guiding her down from her high with slow, deep thrusts. When she drew in deep, intentional breaths, Sirius pulled out of her without warning. Her eyes flew open as he grabbed her hips, smoothly flipping her on to her stomach.

"Oh gods," she moaned into the pillows as he jerked her hips up, sliding back into her relentlessly.

She was barely off her last orgasm, the lingering throb of the strong waves still pulsing through her. She thought Sirius would simply continue until he finished, but he kept going on and on. His fingers dug into her hips as he surged against her in sharp, controlled thrusts. Before she even realized what was sneaking up on her, Hermione was screaming out into the large room as she convulsed around him once again.

Sirius's strong arms snaked around her as he pulled her torso up until her back was flush against his chest. This time, he didn't slow down for her. He quickened his pace, his movements growing erratic as her moans spilled forth incoherently. One of his hands slipped down her stomach and lower still, his fingers moving deftly over her clit with increasing pressure. His other hand crawled up her chest and came to rest on her throat as he buried his head at her nape. He worked her higher and higher still until Hermione thought she would start crying from the pure overload of it.

"I can't," she pleaded. "Not again."

"You can, and you will," Sirius growled in an inarguable tone, biting down on her shoulder. He laved his tongue over the mark, softening his voice to a low timbre. "Come on, love. One last time. Come with me."

His voice rumbling through her ear, coupled with the sensations of his hands splayed over her body possessively as he rode her relentlessly, finally pushed her over the edge. She was coming for the third time with a weak cry, her entire body shaking in his hold as he plunged into her one last time, groaning into her hair as he came.

Finally, losing the last of his strength, he lowered them both to the bed, laying over her boneless form as he tried to catch his breath. He stayed within her for the next few minutes, feeling her continue to pulse sporadically around him as she breathed shakily.

"Shit, Hermione," he groaned, dropping a kiss to her bare shoulder as he eased away gently.

He heard a soft hiss through her teeth, and he gathered her up in his arms, pulling her back against his chest. His hand rested over her abdomen as she hummed once in quiet satisfaction, and he could still feel the muscles under his fingertips quivering ever so slightly.

When he finally felt her breathing steady and deepen, he pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck. "I love you more than you could ever imagine," he whispered.

Hermione stayed still, knowing he assumed she was already asleep. When Sirius finally drifted into a slumber, Hermione felt her incredibly full heart shatter.

 _She loved him too._

Yet, she would have to break the promise she'd made him just the night before. Because he would have to lose her. She had to die. For the greater good. Always for the bloody greater good.

 **̶̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ・ ༓ ・ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶̶**

 **A/N:**

 **T-3 chapters remaining 😊**  
 **Who's as excited as I am? Also idk about you guys, but I'm low key sweating after writing that last scene lol.**

 **Finally, I'd like to ask you all a favor. Please go read my other story, Hiraeth. If you like the Marauders, the Prewett twins, and Death Eater character complexities, I promise it will not disappoint. It's shaping up to be a real masterpiece slow burn like PTTP- starts light and fun, but gets really heavy. It will follow all the critical canon plotlines of JKR's Potter timeline, so don't get intimidated thinking it'll be too AU.**


	35. Phoenix Burns

**35 | PHOENIX BURNS**

̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ・ ༓ ・ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶̶

 **\- HEADQUARTERS OF THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX**

It was seemingly another ordinary night when they all received patronuses from either Dumbledore or Moody. Hermione and Sirius were sitting for another dinner with the Potters when the patronus came. Lily paled, and James and Sirius froze. They were told the siege on Malfoy Manor would likely happen sooner rather than later. But that didn't change the jarring kick to reality when the time finally came. For a blissful but fleeting moment in time, they could almost pretend everything was okay- as normal as they could ever remember life being.

The Order gathered with a swiftness and unity that Hermione had never seen in her time. Perhaps it was because everyone was always so concerned with the semantics of 'trying to protect the children.' Hermione knew in retrospect that she had very little understanding of the second Order. Yet this final meeting not only summoned their core leaders and skilled professionals, but also any and all allies they'd ever had.

Hermione looked around the headquarters in awe.

Andromeda was gathered with her entire family. Ted Tonks stood proudly at her side, their daughter Nymphadora in his arms. Narcissa stood on her sister's other side with Draco holding onto her hand. Sirius wandered over to greet them all with a somber tone. When Snape finally arrived, he caught Narcissa's eyes and made his way over to the familiar face.

Marlene was waiting with her parents, and Mary McDonald and Hestia Bones kept them company. Hestia even brought her younger sister from the Auror department- Amelia Bones.

The Prewetts stood proudly beside Moody as they discussed matters in hushed tones. McGonagall stood not far off from Dumbledore, speaking assertively to a group of her fellow professors from Hogwarts.

Remus found them quickly enough, assured by Lily that the kids were hidden away in the Potter residence with Polly, who had strict instructions on contingencies.

Kingsley stood with a large group of witches and wizards, all dressed in similar uniforms. Hermione could only assume they were all part of the Auror department- perhaps the most loyal and trusted, she suspected. Molly and Arthur stood alone, all of their kids absent from their sides as they held on to each other with tense anticipation.

Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly, the rest of the room falling silent as they turned to their leader.

"First of all, I'd like to thank you all for coming. I wish it were under better circumstances, but I can only hope that after the fight ahead of us, we'll be leading this country into a better future." Dumbledore told them all earnestly. "Auror Moody, if you'd like to brief everyone?"

Moody nodded assertively, stepping up beside Dumbledore.

"Just today we received intelligence from one of our best-placed informants," Moody tipped his head towards Hestia Bones. "There are whispers of a revel happening at Malfoy Manor tonight. We believe it'll likely be a victory celebration for their attack on Auror Black's home."

Sirius stiffened beside Hermione, and a flood of whispers filled the room like fiendfyre.

"As such-" Moody boomed over them. "Tonight is the night we strike. We know where all or most of them will be. And, more importantly, we know where the Dark Lord will be."

"Voldemort," Dumbledore corrected softly. "We intend to fight him- now is not the moment to fear his name."

"Are we prepared to do this now?" Molly asked in concern.

McGonagall stepped up this time on Dumbledore's other side. "We've been strategizing with Miss McKinnon and our lead Aurors since our last meeting. We have detailed diagrams of Malfoy Manor as well as plans for which teams will infiltrate through which wings. Our safe passage into the manor has been guaranteed by Narcissa Malfoy, who's pledged her personal house-elves- loyal only to her- with the duty of getting us there."

"We're approaching this as always," Moody added. "Everyone gets a partner, and you are not to leave your partner at any time. If injured, you escort your partner back here for triage before either _both_ go back to the battlefield or the uninjured pairs up with another off partner. Got it?"

They all nodded, the Aurors the most reluctant of them all. Hermione wouldn't put it past some of their heroic tendencies to ignore protocol in this unprecedented battle and go back alone anyway.

"I'll leave it to our head strategist to announce our plan of attack," Moody told them, gesturing Marlene over to the trio of senior Order leaders.

Marlene McKinnon was not a shy witch. After her one moment of vulnerability in her first year at Hogwarts, she'd learned one vital lesson: no one would have her back as well as she could. And no one knew her limits but her. She laughed off everything that tried to strike her down, and she lived with an unapologetic thirst for life. She lived for the moment. They had what they had when they had it.

It was that deeply fueled fire within her that allowed her to square her shoulders confidently in front of the entire Order, half of whom were older than her.

"We've decided to divide and conquer- as we did with the Nott stronghold." She spoke clearly, using her wand to conjure a misty, three-dimensional model of Malfoy Manor into the center of the room for everyone's reference.

The Order members, including the Aurors, nodded in approval. Gideon Prewett, who now stood at the head of the Aurors alongside his twin, was watching her with a proud gleam in his eyes.

"Now, since this is meant to be a revel, we already assume there will be prisoners for..." Marlene gulped, grimacing in hesitance. "For their _entertainment_. Narcissa has shared the exact location of the dungeons. One team will be heading down to the dungeons to rescue prisoners and take them straight to St. Mungo's. We shouldn't risk bringing them here, nor can we since it's under the Fidellius. Once all the prisoners are cleared, this team will be free to rejoin the main fight against the Death Eaters."

At the sign of agreeing nods, Moody broke in. "The rescue team will be comprised of Marlene McKinnon, Ted and Andromeda Tonks, and Arthur and Molly Weasley. Since everyone is required to be in pairs, I will accept one Auror as a volunteer to join the rescue team."

All the Aurors shuffled reluctantly. They were all prepared and willing to fight Death Eaters. Search and rescue was a noble and essential job, but their skills were needed at the main fight!

"I'll go," Gideon volunteered calmly.

Fabian's head snapped to his twin. For as long as he could remember, they'd always partnered together for missions. They'd worked their way up the ranks of Aurors together. They'd always fought _together._ He was almost about to argue before he saw his brother's gaze paused on McKinnon as it continued its sweep across the room. Fabian sighed, knowing Gideon's skills and reflexes would serve the relatively untrained group of rescuers well.

Marlene gulped ever so slightly, her eyes caught in Gideon's piercing oceanic gaze.

"That's settled," Moody agreed. "McKinnon- next team!"

"Uhum... right! We have the triage team, who are meant to stay here and heal any wounded Order members who return and determine whether they're fit to return to battle. So far, this team includes Lily Potter and Mary McDonald, both certified healers near the end of their training. Madam Pomfrey, the Hogwarts mediwitch. And Narcissa Malfoy- I believe you've also volunteered to help with triage."

"Then we have the primary fighters- these are the experienced and trained wizards and witches who will be engaging directly with the Death Eaters. You all will be apparated directly outside the main ballroom where events and festivities are held. The elves have confirmed this is the room being prepared for the night's gathering. Moody will lead his team of Aurors and Severus Snape, Hermione Dumbledore, and Remus Lupin have been approved by Alastor to fight with the team."

Sirius tensed beside Hermione, his eyes burning into the side of her head. But she merely stared straight ahead. He had to know this was coming eventually. There was no way Hermione would sit on the sidelines.

"The secondary fighters will be stationed at the balconies overseeing the ballroom. This team includes the Hogwarts professors, any unassigned families such as my own, and any other Ministry workers. Your task is to target Death Eaters from a distance. The professors have already been briefed- their primary objective is to prevent any Death Eaters from fleeing or escaping. But as a whole, you need to take down as many of them as you can while maintaining your own safety."

"Everyone got it?" Moody barked at them all. "Good. You can pick your own partners within your assigned teams but pick carefully because you'll be as good as glued to the person for the rest of the night!"

With Moody's dismissal, everyone moved to find their teams.

Mary made her way to Lily just as she and James shared a heartfelt goodbye. He dropped a kiss on Lily's forehead before moving to join the Aurors. Right as they proceeded to set up their cauldrons of potions and balms and create stations for triage, Snape surprised them both.

"I made a few additional cases of dittany based healing paste," Snape told them, handing them a bag heavy with cylindrical tin containers. "It's less potent but works well for minor stuff like stinging or slicing hexes."

"Be careful out there, Severus," Lily told him in concern. "And pick a partner who'll actually have your back! You'll have a huge target on your head tonight."

Snape nodded once, his eyes flickering to Mary uncertainly before going back to Lily. Mary held her breath, not daring to say anything and not knowing what she could possibly say.

"I'm sure you'll do a fine job patching me up if I don't find one. I'm not sure who'd be willing to partner with me." Snape told Lily.

"Ask Hermione!" Lily insisted.

"Perhaps," Snape acknowledged.

With one last nod of goodbye, he turned to head to Moody's team. Mary felt more and more anxious with each step he took away from them.

"Wait! Severus!" She called after him, quickly meeting him halfway across the room.

He turned to her, lifting an eyebrow curiously.

"Come back in one piece," Mary told him. She hesitated before adding, "You'll have one more friend who'll miss you if you don't."

Snape's lips tugged ever so slightly in a wry grin. His hand lifted on its own accord, hovering just above Mary's cheek. Her breath hitched as the calloused pads of his fingertips brushed across her high cheekbone. Catching himself, Snape forced his hand down, clearing his throat.

"You have my word," he murmured smoothly in his deep baritone before continuing on his path.

From the other side of the room, Gideon Prewett bid his twin good luck before he traveled to where the search and rescue team had congregated. He came upon them, hearing bits of discord between the Black sisters.

"I should be out there fighting too!" Narcissa argued. "Why are you going, Meda? I thought you were going to help with triage?

"You'd be a walking target if you go out there, Cissa," Andromeda told her youngest sister softly. "Besides, we're trusting you to watch over Dora until we return."

Narcissa gulped, holding her hand out to the young metamorphmagus as Ted reluctantly set her down.

"You'd better come back," Narcissa told her sister firmly. "I only just got you back."

"You can count on it," she assured her soundly.

Marlene, noticing Gideon approaching, stepped out of the group to meet him as the Tonkses said goodbye to their daughter.

"Are you sure you're the right person to join us?"

Gideon raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Why? Doubting my skills to keep up with you?"

"Hardly," she rolled her eyes. "You're one of Moody's seconds in command, doesn't he need you with the primary fighters?"

"I can join him after search and rescue," Gideon shrugged. "They can hold down until then."

"You mean we can join him, right?" Marlene said pointedly.

" _You_ will be joining the secondary fighters after the rescue- along with the rest of your team," Gideon told her.

"I'm your partner!" Marlene said furiously. "If you're fighting with the Aurors, I'll be right there beside you."

"Damn it, Marlene," Gideon groaned.

"Look, either you can accept I'll be your partner wherever you choose to fight, and we can both make sure to have each other's backs. Or I'll just sneak out there beside you, and we might both get injured while we're separated." Marlene crossed her arms stubbornly.

"You're a piece of work, you know that?" Gideon's mouth quirked in a reluctant grin.

"Thank Merlin for that," Marlene scoffed. "Otherwise, I'd just let you go off on your own, half-cocked, and ready to die."

"I'd be fine!"

"We have protocols for a reason!"

"Swot," he accused softly.

"Neanderthal," she returned with a grin.

On the opposite end of the room, the Aurors all gathered together with Moody and Dumbledore. Everyone was breaking into partners. Since the Aurors were used to working in pairs, they stuck with their typical ones- people they'd spent years fighting alongside and with whom they could duel synchronously.

Amelia Bones and Benjy Fenwick.

Edgar Bones and Caradoc Dearborn.

Elphias Dodge and Sturgis Podmore.

Kingsley Shacklebolt and Dedalus Diggle.

And more. Many of the names being thrown about were familiar to Hermione from the brief history she'd read on the First Order. But many of the names were still unknown to her.

"We have to partner together," Sirius told her firmly.

"I know," she agreed. "Our magic will be a lot stronger than normal when casting in tandem. Besides, we'll be better able to protect each other."

Sirius turned to James regretfully. "Mate, I'm so sorry-"

"No!" James insisted, shaking his head. "It's fine, I can just partner with Remus."

"What about Snape?" Hermione asked hesitantly as the silent man came to stand with them.

Sirius scoffed lightly while James hesitated. Hermione rolled her eyes. She wouldn't trust many people to stand faithfully alongside Severus Snape in battle. He was surly and not generally likable. Despite proving his loyalty and worth, very few people in the Order actually wanted anything to do with him. Not that he'd made any effort to change that.

"I guess he'll be stuck with me," Fabian's voice called out as he joined them. "Seems I was abandoned by my own twin."

Hermione met Fabian's eyes and smiled. He was one of the few she could trust to be impartial. She feared she couldn't even count on the Marauders for this particular task.

"I've seen you duel, Snape. You're not bad. I just need you to have my back, and I'll have yours." Fabian offered his hand, and Snape looked at it uncertainly for a moment before shaking it.

Snape nodded wordlessly, his confident posture and unbending gaze making all the promises he wouldn't utter aloud.

"And what about you, Alastor?" McGonagall asked loudly. "Where's your partner?"

Moody glanced up at the usually stern transfiguration professor, who watched him with a challenge in her gaze. Seems she still wasn't over their last incident during a meeting. Moody couldn't help but taunt her again.

"Aw Minnie, you know better!" Moody guffawed. "I lead the charge- I don't need a partner."

"So, you're going to break protocol?" Minerva mocked, her flaring nostrils the only sign of her reacting to the laughable nickname. "My, my, what a poor example to lead by."

Before Moody could retort, Dumbledore jumped in. "You know, Minerva, you're quite right. Perhaps you would deign to be Alastor's partner for the battle."

" _WHAT?_ " Both Moody and Minerva snapped their heads towards their usually logical leader.

"I don't need a partner!" Moody insisted.

"Albus, surely I'll be of more use to the other professors?" McGonagall tried to reason.

"No, no," Albus refuted, his mind already made. "Alastor, Minerva is right. You need a partner. We need someone to have the back of the Head Auror. And Minerva, it might've been a while since your last real duel, but you forget I've seen you fight. I can think of no one better to work with the Head Auror. The other professors will manage fine."

Moody and McGonagall glared at each other silently as the rest of the young Aurors bit back their smiles, knowing their supervisor would flay them alive if he ever saw.

"The objective is rather simple for us," Dumbledore said, turning to the team. "You all need to keep the Death Eaters busy. And you can leave Voldemort to me."

Seemed simple enough, Hermione thought.

How bad could it be?

̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ・ ༓ ・ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶̶

 **\- MALFOY MANOR**

A total and utter disaster- that's how bad it could be.

Things started off reasonably well. The elves brought all their teams to the area just outside the ballroom while the Death Eaters were in the throes of their festivities. Having surpassed the wards with the house elves' aid, they had the element of surprise.

They took the rare opportunity to survey the room. There were over fifty death eaters in the gigantic ballroom, all robed but unmasked. In the middle of the majestic staircase leading to the balconies was a single throne-like seat. What shocked Hermione was not the gaudy facetiousness with which Voldemort conducted his gathering, but Lord Voldemort himself.

She remembered looking into the cold, dead, soulless eyes of the noseless monster right before she'd been thrown back in time. Yet this Voldemort, despite having split his soul multiple times over already, hadn't yet lost his original body. He was as tall as she remembered, but that was where the similarities stopped. His nose was existent, for one. His bald head was replaced by lush, thick waves of dark hair. His pasty underdeveloped face was replaced by an angular jawline and sharp cheekbones covered with smooth porcelain skin. This was worse than the Voldemort from her time. At least then, they could all see him for the monster he was inside. Now he hid behind a handsome costume of humanity, lulling his supporters to his side with his charisma and false promises of purifying and reclaiming society.

Moody silently instructed them to spread out. The secondary team took their positions upon the balconies under the guise of disillusionment charms. The revel's festivities were just hectic enough that even Voldemort seemed oblivious to the movement of their additional bodies.

The primary team spread out so they could make their ambush from every possible entrance to the ballroom, cutting off any path for escape.

All it took was one cue from Moody, and their world exploded into an array of bright flashes and colors.

At first, the fight seemed like an easy win. Despite their disadvantage in numbers, the wave of Aurors sweeping relentlessly through the room coupled with the aerial support of targeted attacks was able to disengage the distracted and surprised Death Eaters. Moody and McGonagall led the frontal charge, drawing the attention of the entire room. It was when everyone's heads turned that the Aurors attacked.

Hermione fought with grace and nimbleness, keeping Sirius at her back at all times. The couple complemented each other well, both synchronized in the elegant and practiced flourishes and jabs of their wands. Harry's dark holly wand bent and flexed with Hermione's magic well, allowing her to cast faster than her opponents could keep up with. She didn't notice much other than the opponents directly in her path- she couldn't risk getting distracted. If her fifth year in the Department of Mysteries had taught her anything, it was to never take your eyes off the opponent. Most of the Death Eaters were unfamiliar to her, their unmasked faces blurring into a line of unidentifiable fallen victims. It wasn't until a familiar face approached them that Hermione jerked out her trance-like casting.

"My, my, lookie here," a sharp voice mocked. "How'd you save her, cousin?"

Bellatrix stood a few paces away from Sirius and Hermione, her wild curls and sharp features painting her every bit the villainous character Hermione remembered her to be.

"It's none of your business, Bellatrix," Sirius bit out in an icy tone. Cousin or not, she'd nearly killed Hermione. There was no coming back from that in his book.

Both Order members startled as a fast-moving curse coming from behind them collided with a seemingly invisible barrier. They glanced back to see Dolohov approaching them from the other direction, his lips curling into a predatory smile.

"You can sort out your family matters, Black," Dolohov called across them to Bellatrix. "But, I want the girl."

A quick questioning glance between Sirius and Hermione told them both that neither had put up a shield against Dolohov's curse. So how had it been deflected? They refocused their attention- Hermione, with her wand trained on Dolohov and Sirius's on his cousin. But Bellatrix merely watched them in unprecedented surprise. She'd seen the protective barrier form instantaneously between the pair and Dolohov's curse. Knowing what she'd done to the girl at Sirius's side the last time she fought them, there were only so many things that could've allowed her to survive.

Bellatrix's eyes widened manically, a sliver of fear sinking into those cold orbs. "You-"

"Tandem casting," Hermione whispered to Sirius urgently.

"Stupefy on 3." He responded.

"1... 2..."

"STUPEFY!" They both exclaimed in opposite directions.

A sonic boom erupted from the pair as a wave of energy released from them. Bellatrix and Dolohov immediately dropped to the floor like dead weight- as did many of the nearby fighters surrounding them.

The entire room paused, the fireworks of stunners, hexes, and unforgivables halting as everyone glanced to the pair with nearly a dozen unconscious bodies surrounding them. Voldemort himself, who up until that point had been frowning at the scene before him as an unacceptable inconvenience, tilted his head and narrowed his eyes on the pair. The man he could easily place- aristocratic features, long jet-black hair, fighting alongside the Aurors? It could be none other than Sirius Black. Yet the witch beside him was unfamiliar. Who could she be? Who had he missed? Who could possibly be capable of magic that potent?

"This ends tonight, Tom," a calm voice drew everyone's attention. Dumbledore emerged, walking through the semi-cleared path to Voldemort, courtesy of the Aurors.

"It does," Riddle lifted an eyebrow elegantly. "By which time, I shall be victorious, and you shall be dead."

In a split second, they both pounced, identical jets of red and blue light shooting towards each other until their spells collided in the middle. The sparks coming from their epic duel spurred the temporary ceasefire out of its pause. Witches and wizards on opposite sides started attacking once again with a newly renewed vigor.

"Shit- Sirius! The Aurors," Hermione pointed to a few among the unconscious who surrounded them that were actually on their team.

"Everyone's wearing a portkey around their neck," Sirius instructed her quickly. "We just need to activate them."

They stepped through the cluster of fallen bodies, crouching to send any on their side back to headquarters until they woke up again. Hermione cursed herself internally. She had no idea their tandem casting would be so raw and intense.

Just as they'd finished extracting the last of their fallen, a sharp burst from Voldemort's wand shattered all the windows in the grand ballroom as well as the ginormous crystal chandelier, bringing glass raining down on them all. The shards quickly reconverged under Voldemort's control, surging towards Dumbledore and the Aurors like attack drones. The Aurors, still busy with their individual duels, were utterly vulnerable to the impending attack. Thanks to Dumbledore's cleverness, the glass was quickly unrefined into a fine spray of sand. Though it saved many of them, it also temporarily blinded them.

In that moment of unarmed tension, multiple things happened that had Hermione's heart dropping to the floor.

From a few paces behind them, Remus and James were caught off guard by the Lestrange brothers. Remus's wand was flying out of his hand as James was caught on the arm by a slicing hex.

A few paces ahead of them was the grand stairwell, at the bottom of which Dumbledore was still recovering after the spray of fine sand.

Time slowed down to a snail's pace.

Hermione saw Voldemort lift his wand before Dumbledore had even turned back to him, a victorious gleam in his power-hungry eyes. She heard Sirius yell his friends' names as he lunged to their aid.

Hermione's lips tugged up- wry and unamused. She'd known many of the heroic figures among them tonight would eventually forgo protocol to win them the victory they so desperately needed. Never in a million years had she counted herself among them. Hermione was the level-headed one. She was the one who usually talked Harry out of pulling unplanned and ridiculously risky stunts.

As Sirius ran for James and Remus, she knew she should follow him. He was her partner, and they were supposed to stick together. Yet even as the rational part of her mind told her to follow him, her legs were already carrying her forward, her wand raising towards the Dark Lord with the nastiest slicing curse she knew.

What should have been Voldemort's felling attack on Dumbledore turned into a surprised shield as an unanticipated spell shot at him from a different angle.

Riddle turned to the witch at the bottom of the steps in ire, drawing himself up to his full length as Dumbledore recovered.

"And who might you be?" Riddle bit out in unrestrained anger, his voice steadily booming through the ballroom. "Who the bloody hell are you to think you can defeat the great Lord Voldemort?"

All parties froze once again. Sirius, who'd just disarmed one of the Lestrange brothers and allowed James the split second he needed to stun the other one, turned back around as ice-cold fear flooded his veins. Dumbledore and Hermione stood at opposite ends of the base of the stairwell, staring up challengingly at one of the darkest wizards of their time.

Hermione felt her lips quirk into a genuinely amused grin as she summoned Harry and Dumbledore's bravery from all the times she'd seen them go up against the wizard who'd ruined so many lives. And for what?

"Oh, didn't you get the message, Tom Riddle?" She mocked shamelessly. "Naming yourself a lord doesn't actually make you one. You're still just the damaged little half-blood boy who never learned to get along with others."

Riddle's nostrils flared as his wand arm twitched. Hermione herself tensed as she noticed Nagini silently slithering down the stairs behind him.

Hermione tilted her head with snark. "And you have more than one Dumbledore to worry about tonight."

Riddle struck like a viper. His first spell careening towards Hermione, who hastily deflected it. In his rage, he easily blocked Dumbledore's intervention, his raw, pulsing energy throwing the older wizard back against the banister. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Nagini coiling up as if preparing to strike- straight towards Professor Dumbledore.

Hermione raised her wand, unregretfully casting a swift sectumsempra towards the giant serpent when a second flash blinded her from her peripheral.

The last thing she saw was the smirking face of a young Voldemort through the putrid green light enveloping her.

̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ・ ༓ ・ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶̶

 **A/N:**

Umm... yeah, so I just did that. Yes, the green this time is the killing curse. And before you all go ballistic, remember that baby Hermione is still alive in this timeline. That's all I'll say.

Thank you all so much for your witty comments, votes, and endless patience 💛

Love you lots,  
adharyn


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